LOS ANGELES — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Rep. Karen Bass' mayoral campaign on Tuesday, saying in a joint statement that they were "eager to continue to partner with her on innovative strategies to reduce homelessness and increase public safety and prosperity."
The Biden-Harris endorsement marks a show of strength for Bass. Presidents do not typically weigh in on intra-party battles or in mayoral races.
Bass — who finished the June primary with a 7 percentage-point lead over Rick Caruso — called the endorsement a "true honor," saying in a statement that she was excited to continue partnering with the administration. The congresswoman was on Biden's short list for the vice presidency prior to the 2020 election, though Harris was ultimately chosen.
Bass has built up a wall of support from establishment Democrats, with endorsements from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a host of other state and federal elected officials. Caruso has been endorsed by a single Democratic elected official: City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who represents a district that spans from Watts to San Pedro.
Caruso also has a much more complicated relationship with the Democratic Party than Bass. The real estate developer spent much of his life as a Republican, had a relatively brief stint as a no party preference voter and changed his party affiliation to Democratic in late January.
Along with backing from business and law enforcement groups, Caruso's splashiest endorsements have come from celebrities, including Snoop Dogg, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk.
The mayoral race is technically nonpartisan, but party affiliation has become a contentious issue in the overwhelmingly Democratic city. But Bass' near-monopoly on establishment Democratic support could also play into Caruso's critiques of her as an establishment figure who would bring more of the same to the city.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti, two of the most prominent Democrats in the state, have yet to weigh in on the race.
It's unclear whether Harris, a Californian who has a home in Brentwood, will stump for Bass in L.A. The Bass campaign did not immediately respond to a question about whether Harris would campaign for her.
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