Democratic Rep. Karen Bass has been elected mayor of Los Angeles, NBC News projected Wednesday, making her the first woman to hold the role.
Bass defeated Rick Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer who was endorsed by Elon Musk, in a tight race to replace Democrat Eric Garcetti. The race was nonpartisan; both Bass and Caruso are Democrats. Caruso spent about $100 million on his campaign.
Bass, who is serving her sixth term in the House, was on the shortlist to be Joe Biden’s vice presidential running mate in 2020. She announced her mayoral campaign in September of last year, saying tackling the city’s homeless crisis would be a top priority.
