Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso does not support recall efforts against his former opponent, Democrat Karen Bass, mayor.
“Recalling mayors right now is not a good idea. This is when Los Angeles needs unity rather than costly and expensive political distractions,” he posted to X earlier this week.
“We have to rebuild our communities, bring people back home, open open businesses that have been closed or lost. It must be our full focus. Politics has time and place, but not now.”
Efforts to remove Karen Base from the office began after intense criticism of her reaction to the fire that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the Pacific Pallisard, including Democrat Caruso.
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Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso will gather crowds at Los Angeles Election Night headquarters on November 8th. (AP/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Bass was in Ghana when the fire began despite previous weather warnings. However, she stopped resigning. She recently fired city fire chief Christine Crowley.
Real estate mogul Caruso ran with bass in 2022 and lost. It is unclear if he plans to run to her again in 2026.
His decision not to support the recall attracted the attention of former Vice President Pick Nicole Shanahan, former Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is a leading supporter of the recall.
“Don't people deserve accountability?!” she said in reply to his post on X. “I don't think of this as a political division… I think this is the most united thing I've seen about the real cost of mismanagement. The recall team is (100%) partisan.”
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The aftermath of the Pacific Palisade and the fire along the Pacific Coast Highway was held on January 10, 2025 in Los Angeles. (David Hume Kennerley/Getty Images)
“People want leadership capabilities,” Caruso replied. “But recall elections don't happen overnight. It's going to run into the primary in June and cost millions of people to cities we don't have. Let's be smart about how we move the city forward.”
The differences were mixed with opinions regarding the recall itself.
“It's really your argument that 'It's cheap to keep her'. Remembering her right away would be cheaper than keeping her (see the recent $200 billion fire that destroyed my family home). Posted by Dave Harvilicz, co-founder of Calm AI.
“The opposite of Rick. (Karen Bass) poses clear and current dangers to LA. She has to go straight away,” posted biotech entrepreneur David Hematty. “If you don't want a recall, convince her to resign. There's no other option. Sorry.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recalls the start of the effort
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass spoke to reporters at a press conference, and Steve Soborov announced to the left, leading efforts to rebuild and recover LA wildfires in Los Angeles on January 17, 2025. (APU Gomes/Getty Images)
However, some agreed with Caruso that recall elections will be a difficult battle.
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“The premise of the decision not to support (Caluso) recall is (right). It's precisely what LA's biggest concern is that further lowering voters at the worst times is not wasting everyone's time and energy.”
To trigger a recall election, the petition will need to be signed from 15% of registered voters in the city of Los Angeles.
“This recall is just another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to split Los Angeles when there's a need to move forward,” Bass strategist Doug Herman told Fox News Digital in a statement when the campaign was first launched.
