Caruso Takes Steps to Enter Race for LA Mayor

Caruso Takes Steps to Enter Race for LA Mayor
Rick Caruso attends the Let California Kids Hear Campaign at The Grove in Los Angeles on Aug. 12, 2019. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Caruso)
City News Service
2/10/2022
Updated:
2/10/2022

LOS ANGELES—Rick Caruso, a billionaire developer, has made an appointment for Feb. 11 to file a declaration with the city clerk’s office of his intent to run for mayor of Los Angeles, a sign that he might join the crowded field, the Office of the City Clerk said on Feb. 9.

Caruso has a scheduled appointment with the city clerk’s office at 4 p.m. Friday, the office’s Josué Marcus said.

The deadline to declare an intent to run for mayor is Saturday. In January, Caruso changed his voter registration to Democrat after almost a decade of being registered with no party preference.

In October it was reported that he hired a high-profile political consulting firm as he considers another run for mayor of Los Angeles, which is led almost entirely by Democrats.

Caruso developed the Grove shopping center, Palisades Village, the Americana at Brand, and other high-end properties in Los Angeles and Southern California. He is the former president of the LA police commission after being appointed to the commission by Mayor James Hahn in August 2001. He also served on the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

Caruso changed his voting registration from no party preference to Democrat last month, saying that he will be a “pro-centrist, pro-jobs, pro-public safety Democrat.”

If Caruso announces a run for mayor, he'll join a field of high-profile candidates, including Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), L.A. City Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Kevin de León, and City Attorney Mike Feuer.

The primary for the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election will take place on June 7, with the top two finishers squaring off in the election on Nov. 8.