Karen Bass has made history. The outgoing U.S. Congresswoman has been elected as the next mayor of Los Angeles. According to the latest tally of votes from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder County Clerk’s Office, Bass was out in front of Rick Caruso by seven percentage points.
At last count, Bass had received 436,807 votes to the 376,769 votes counted for Caruso.
No matter who you voted for, I will be a mayor for YOU.
— Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) November 17, 2022
That’s the only way forward.
The crises we are facing affect us all, and all of us must be a part of the solution.
Together, we will get big things done in this city. pic.twitter.com/TsttMW9WIx
Caruso has conceded that Bass has won the election to be the next mayor of Los Angeles. The individual Bass will be replacing, weighed in about the future of Los Angeles with its incoming mayor.
“This is a historic moment and a win for all Angelenos,” current Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “Mayor-elect Bass has been a personal friend for decades, and her leadership has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance during my years in office. What Karen brings to this moment is unparalleled energy and experience, both legislative and lived, from which she will drive the city’s next chapter.”
“I know that she will lead this city with grace and compassion, and that she’ll lean on her skills as a natural consensus-builder, deep ties to our neighborhoods and community leaders, and her unwavering commitment to equity and justice that has defined her as one of America’s great visionaries and leaders.”
The history that Bass is making is that she will be the first woman to lead Los Angeles. She is the first Black woman to be voted as mayor, and the second African American to hold that title.Tom Bradley was the first Black American to be voted in as mayor of Los Angeles way back in 1973. Bradley, a former police officer, would serve Los Angeles as mayor for 20 years after being elected to five terms.
For her part, Bass put out a statement on being the next mayor of Los Angeles via Twitter.
THANK YOU, LOS ANGELES! pic.twitter.com/I0lrPSruzJ
— Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) November 17, 2022
“I ran for mayor to urgently confront the crisis our hometown faces,” Bass said in the statement. “Tonight, 40,000 Angelenos will sleep without a home-and five will not wake up. Crime is increasing and families are being priced out of their neighborhoods. This must change. 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. 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.”
When she is sworn in as mayor of Los Angeles on Dec. 12, Bass will be confronting the challenges of ending the homeless crisis, rebutting the increase in crime and give working families opportunities to live in the city without being priced out.
The mayoral race between Bass and Caruso were both shaken up by a leaked audio recording that featured racist remarks by several members of the Los Angeles City Council with the president, Nury Martinez, resigning from her position and her council seat.
Dennis is the editor and publisher of News4usonline. He covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, racial and social justice, civil rights, and HBCUs. Dennis earned a journalism degree from “The Mecca” aka Howard University. “I write on what I am passionate about.”