LOS ANGELES — Former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso Tuesday said a recall campaign against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is "not a good idea."

What You Need To Know

  • Real estate developer and former LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso is against the recall campaign against LA Mayor Karen Bass

  • Caruso said the city needs unity and not costly political distractions

  • He encouraged residents to focus on rebuilding communities impacted by January's wildfires, getting people back into their homes and reopening businesses

  • Bass is facing a recall campaign led by Nicole Shanahan, the former presidential running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

According to a statement Caruso released Tuesday, the city needs unity and not what he characterized as costly political distractions. He encouraged residents to focus on rebuilding communities impacted by January's wildfires, getting people back into their homes and reopening businesses.

"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," Caruso said in a post on X.

Bass is facing a recall campaign led by Nicole Shanahan, the former presidential running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Bass has faced growing criticism over her response and leadership since the wildfires broke out. The Palisades fire broke out on Jan. 7, and residents have faulted her for being out of the country at the time on a diplomatic trip to Ghana. Concerns have also mounted over fire hydrant issues, low water pressure in the Palisades and resources within the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Some critics say Bass attempted to shift blame for the response by firing former LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley.

According to a recent survey from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, slightly over 40% of registered voters in the city thought Bass did a "poor or very poor job in responding to the fires," while another 19% of respondents thought her response was "excellent or good."

A little more than 1 in 5 city residents, or about 22%, thought she was doing a fair job, and the remainder had no opinion.

Last week, during an interview with KNX News, the mayor said she would fight any attempts to oust her from office.

"I would never quit on my city. This is where I was born and raised," Bass told the radio station. "Did I know that it was a difficult job? Absolutely. Am I ready for the job? Most definitely."

The mayor, who is up for re-election in 2026, has already launched her campaign.

"I mean, anybody that runs for office — if you're not emotionally ready to accept that — then you're in the wrong business," Bass told KNX.

The recall effort would require 330,000 ballot signatures to progress, which will need to be obtained in a span of four months.

Douglas Herman, a political strategist for Bass' campaign, told City News Service on March 4 that the recall committee's filing was "nothing more than another extreme right-wing political stunt designed to divide Los Angeles when we need to move forward."

He added that the money spent on a recall election would be better spent on rebuilding the city.

Bass entered office in 2022 after defeating Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer. She's the first woman and second Black mayor of Los Angeles.

Caruso has made headlines with the launch of Steadfast LA, a private- sector-led recovery effort, sparking speculation about a possible second mayoral run. He has yet to make an official announcement.