Los Angeles and San Francisco voters may rebuke left in primaries
Los Angeles and San Francisco voters may rebuke left in primaries
An ex-Republican billionaire could be the next mayor of Los Angeles, and San Franciscans may oust their headline-grabbing reformist district attorney.
Rick Caruso tours Grand Central Market on Thursday as he campaigns to become mayor of Los Angeles. Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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June 7, 2022, 2:30 AM MST
WASHINGTON — Two of America’s most famously progressive cities may take right turns Tuesday, when California and six other states hold primary elections.
This year’s sixth round of primary elections will feature no major Senate or gubernatorial battles. But primaries will determine who may end up representing millions of Americans in California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.
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In Los Angeles, long-simmering frustrations with issues like homelessness and crime have made an ex-Republican billionaire the unlikely front-runner to be the next mayor of the heavily Democratic megacity.
Rick Caruso, a major real estate developer who only recently joined the Democratic Party and received a rare endorsement from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has spent more than $34 million on his campaign — nearly 10 times more than his main opponent, six-term Democratic Rep. Karen Bass.
While the money helps, Caruso has tapped into growing resentment about the state of the city and the perception that its Democratic leaders have been unable to do much about it.
Homelessness continues to rise while housing has become even less affordable. Crime is up,
