Congresswoman Karen Bass. (Photo: @RepKarenBass, Twitter)
Rep. Karen Bass Wins LA Mayoral Election
Bass defeats Rick Caruso following over a week of close ballot counting
By Evan Symon, November 17, 2022 2:30 am
Congresswoman Karen Bass defeated developer Rick Caruso in the Los Angeles Mayoral election on Wednesday, garnering an insurmountable number of votes to become the first African American since 1993 and the first woman to be elected to the position.
While up in polls with double digits over the summer, Bass was the subject of numerous scandals and incidents in September. Combined with a surging for Caruso due to his advertising and local strategies, the 2022 race became the closest LA Mayoral race in decades. With both candidates in a dead heat on election day, Caruso wound up leading early on in the vote tallying, much like the primary election held earlier in June. The lead gradually tightened throughout the week, with Bass finally taking the lead over the weekend.
Finally, on Wednesday, with more mail-in ballots being counted, Bass finally reached an insurmountable lead, 53.1% to 46.9%, up by almost 47,000 votes. Faced with the defeat, Caruso conceded to Bass later on Wednesday, and issued a statement.
“This campaign has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said Caruso in a statement on Wednesday. “I am so proud of my campaign. We held true to the core values of our family – integrity, honesty, and respect for all.
“While we came up short in the count, we made an indelible impact on this city and its people that will last far beyond the campaign trail or Election Day. We elevated the discourse of the campaign and focused attention on the issues that matter. From my first day as a candidate we relentlessly talked about the plight of the unhoused and the inhumanity of City policies that keep them on the streets, vulnerable and exposed, instead of inside where they can get services they need. From day one, we exposed the deep-seated corruption and built-in mechanisms that foster that corruption. We never wavered in our support for our first responders, the brave men and women of the LAPD, LAFD, and other law enforcement agencies who constantly amaze our communities with their courage, acts of heroism and service. Most of all, we never stopped believing that local government can and should be a force for good, a force that levels the playing field for everyone, a source of pride and inspiration that helps families achieve the American dream.
“There will be more to come from the movement we built, but for now, as a city we need to unite around Mayor-elect Bass and give her the support she needs to tackle the many issues we face. Congratulations, Karen, and God-speed.”
Bass elected as Mayor of LA
Bass, who was informed of her victory while working in her LA Congressional office, said in a later statement that she would ‘hit the ground running’ once sworn into office.
“This evening, I received a gracious call from Rick Caruso, who is someone who I hope continues his civic participation in the city that we both love. I have great respect for his commitment to serving the people of Los Angeles,” continued Bass. “The people of Los Angeles have sent a clear message: it is time for change and it is time for urgency.
“To the people of Los Angeles, my message is this: We are going to solve homelessness. We are going to prevent and respond urgently to crime,” Bass said. “Los Angeles is no longer going to be unaffordable for working families – good jobs and affordable housing construction are on the way. And know this – that work has already begun.
“I am honored and humbled that the people have chosen me to be the next Mayor of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the greatest city on earth. I know, if we come together, hold each other accountable, and focus on the best of who we are and what we can achieve, we can create better neighborhoods today and a better future for our children. To the people of Los Angeles, thank you. To the thousands of people who worked on my campaign, thank you. To everyone who will join our mission to move LA in a new direction, thank you. We will get big things done together.”
However, despite the narrow victory, elections experts noted on Wednesday that Bass faces leading a city that has been extremely divided on her.
“[Bass] really has her work cut out for her,” explained Jan Ives, a Washington-based local election analyst, to the Globe on Friday. “She won by one of the narrowest margins in city history and is coming into a city where nearly half of the voters plain don’t like her, where it is still reeling from a major scandal in which some of the perpetrators, namely Kevin de Leon, still remain in office, where experts have said her homeless plans won’t work.
“What’s worrying to many is that the DINO candidate nearly won in LA. Bass will need to do an immaculate job to get re-elected in four years time, and remember, she is still dealing with the USC bribery scandal and now has to work with a City Councilman who said openly racist things against black people. Not to mention homelessness, housing affordability, crime, and many other issues in the city right now. When Caruso said Godspeed to her, he really meant it. This is a lot to overcome.
“Every elected official deserves the benefit of the doubt, but for many, they’ll be seeing how quickly she breaks that for them. 2023 in LA will be, in polite terms, a transitionary year.”
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October 19, 2022
it will be fun to watch LALA land burn
Is that a threat?
No Grady, it’s a PREDICTION, as her LACK OF MANAGERIAL abilities reduces LA further into Chicago West…
Excerpt from local KTTV report on AP calling this race.
“The SEIU 2015 released the following statement:
“SEIU Local 2015 is thrilled that the City of Los Angeles has elected Karen Bass to be our Mayor. Karen Bass has represented the people of Los Angeles in Congress for more than ten years, fighting for economic equity, criminal justice reform, environmental advocacy, fair working conditions, and unity—all central to building a just society. She has proved time and again that she has the best interest of our community at heart. SEIU Local 2015 was a proud early endorser of Karen Bass for Mayor of Los Angeles. We believe that Congresswoman Bass will continue to uphold pro-worker values in the City of Los Angeles and fight for quality care for our communities’ most vulnerable.”
https://www.foxla.com/election/karen-bass-mayor-of-los-angeles-wins-elected
Kinda sorta sounds like SEIU is patting itself on the back for a job well done to deliver this election for the like-minded and cooperative Karen Bass, don’t you think?
“In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.”
― Theodore Dalrymple
Precisely Showandtell! Bass is a completely-owned toady of the unions.
Wow. She “won” by only 3 truck loads of ballots. What a squeaker! 😉
Yeah, no kidding, CW.
Given the state of LA, this is really difficult to understand and believe.
And nothing will change in LA – Same Crap, Different Day!
I think this will officially mark the beginning of the end of El Lay… the city is now OFFICIALLY SCREWED….
Enjoy the impending crime wave & homeless invasion, folks…we tried to WARN YOU…
#GameOver
Fixed.
…And the city council is majority-commie now. Icing on the crapcake: A commie controller was elected. What a mess. I’d say “this is going to be interesting…” except it won’t be. It will just be destructive. MORE destructive.
Karen, good luck getting 69,000 homeless and their tents off the streets. I suspect in 4 years we won’t be any further along solving the homeless problem than we are today. Up until now, the economy has been pretty good, but we are facing a recession and a massive state funding shortfall and most of the programs to help the homeless will be under funded. Somehow, the new mayor will have to learn how to do more with less.
It’s no surprise that LA’s ruling Democrat cabal installed Karen Bass who is severly ethically challenged? She will be easy to manipulate and any criticism of her subpar performance as mayor while deflected as being racist?
Caruso dodged a bullet trying to govern this cesspit of a city and working with an even worse city council. In the long run, Caruso may well be thanking his lucky stars.
If only all of the state’s chronic problems could slide into LA and we could keep them all there, I won’t care if SEIU keeps calling the shots in this city.
LA: the city of relentless crime, unsafe streets, business failures due to rampant crime, vagrant camps, drought, failing infrastructure, limited housing, illegal border crossers, sanctuary city permissiveness, greedy government unions, failed schools, endemic racial strife, gangs, drugs, Hollywood Leftists ….LA IS WHERE IT IS AT!
Now that you are where it is at, just leave the rest of the state alone.
LA County Clerk Dean Logan is very skilled at finding extra votes for Democrats and Republicans who will conveniently fall to a Democrat candidate. We can thank him for Newsom, Gascon remaining in place and the Los Angeles Mayor now. He’s corrupt.
https://mynorthwest.com/1011269/dean-logan-california-gubernatorial-race/
So, Erin. Why is this guy NOT in JAIL for voter fraud? Oh, I forgot…..he’s safe in LOS ANGELES.
Raymond, who would have prosecuted him then in corrupt Kings County?
And who will prosecute him now in L.A. County? LA DA George Gascon? AG Rob Bonta? The Feds?
(By the way, I understand your question was a rhetorical one.)
Erin, thanks for this link.
S&T, you’re welcome. Both you and Raymond are right on. It’s infuriating.