Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass‘s former 2022 opponent Rick Caruso called for “unity” Tuesday in a post discouraging her recall.
Bass is facing calls for a recall after the Palisades and Eaton fires burned over 37,000 acres of land and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings. At the time, Bass was in Ghana for President John Mahama’s inauguration. She said the White House asked her to go to represent former President Joe Biden, and it was meant to be a “very, very short trip over a weekend and two business days.”
“A mayoral recall right now is not a good idea. This is a time when Los Angeles needs unity, not costly and expensive political distractions,” Caruso wrote on X. “We must rebuild our communities, get people back into their homes, and open businesses that have been closed or lost. That must be our total focus. There is a time and place for politics, but it is not now.”
The post, which has over 70,000 views, prompted speculation that Caruso is planning to run for political office again after losing to Bass in the primary election. Caruso recently switched party affiliation from Republican to Democrat before he launched his mayoral bid.
“Consistent stream of texts this morning after this message went out: ‘when is he announcing for governor?’” Orange County Republican Chairman Will O’Neill responded to the post.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is approaching his term limit in 2026, leaving the race free of an incumbent.
Caruso is a former commissioner of the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power. His profession as a Los Angeles developer of high-end hotels and shopping centers made him a billionaire. He also owns the Palisades Village, which was largely destroyed in the fires.
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Since winning reelection in 2022, Bass cut $17.6 million from the emergency services budget, which directly compromised fire departments. Bass plans to run again in 2026, saying, “It is my responsibility to prove that I can lead and I am the rebuilding and the recovery process.”
Meanwhile, a petition demanding Bass’s immediate resignation has reached over 330,000 signatures.