LOS ANGELES — Rep. Karen Bass has built a double-digit lead in the Los Angeles mayor's race with a little over two months to go until election day, firming up her base among the city's Democratic voters and eroding Rick Caruso's margin in the San Fernando Valley, a new poll shows.
Since beating Caruso in the June primary by 7 points, Bass has widened her advantage over the businessman to 43%-31%, with 24% undecided, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental studies poll, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.
Bass has consolidated support among liberal and Democratic voters, picking up the lion's share of those who went for other candidates in the primary. She leads Caruso by nearly 2 to 1 among former supporters of Councilmember Kevin de León, who came in third in the primary, and wins overwhelmingly among backers of Gina Viola, the progressive activist who came in fourth.
