LOS ANGELES — Businessman Rick Caruso will end his campaign for mayor of Los Angeles much as he started it — pounding away with a television advertising campaign that attempts to persuade Angelenos he is the kind of independent problem solver who can overcome entrenched and corrupt interests at City Hall.
In spending about 13 times more than his opponent, Rep. Karen Bass, Caruso’s advertising onslaught on TV, radio and digital platforms is expected to exceed $53 million, enough to help define themes for the race but not enough to ensure victory, according to several political professionals watching the contest. Those numbers encompass what both candidates are slated to spend through the primary and general elections, according to data from media tracking firm AdImpact.
Despite the lopsided spending, Bass appeared to remain the strong front-runner through the summer and into the fall. Polling conducted in late September put Bass 15 points ahead of Caruso among likely voters and 3 points ahead — within the poll’s margin of error — among all voters.
