LA mayor's race: Candidates make last-minute campaign stops as primary election deadline looms

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A lively primary election campaign for Los Angeles mayor is in the homestretch, with Tuesday's deadline looming for voters to choose from among nine candidates in a race widely seen as a two-candidate duel in the effort to replace termed-out Eric Garcetti.

Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso are the clear front-runners according to polls. As of Monday, a recent tally shows Bass leading with 38% of likely voters' support and Caruso close behind with 32%.

Bass is benefiting from strong support among women and the poll has 15 percent of likely voters still undecided.

If polling holds true, Bass and Caruso would advance to the November general election, although some campaign watchers have pondered whether Caruso - with his mighty self-funded campaign war chest and weeks-long advertising blitz -- could gather more than 50% of the primary vote and avoid the runoff.

Bass has been outspent in this race by Caruso. Bass's campaign tells Eyewitness News they've spent $3 million dollars, whereas Caruso's campaign has spent $39 million of his own money, according to the CAL-ACCESS 24-hour filings.

That's more money than Kamala Harris spent on her presidential campaign, more money than has ever been spent by a candidate in the L.A. mayors race, which is headed to a runoff according to the poll.

Bass responded Monday to Caruso's attacks that she's been an ineffective leader.

"The fact that he has had the means to actually contribute to affordable housing and has never built one unit of affordable housing, while I've been trying, a good part of my life, to adress these issues and prevent people from becoming homeless, especially children," Bass said. "So have I solved the problem singlehandedly, as one of 435 members of congress? No. Have I made a significant contribution to addressing the problem, especailly in regards to children? Yes.

Many of the candidates spent Sunday making campaign stops across town in a final push to win over voters.

L.A. Councilmember Kevin de León believes he can win the support of undecided voters.

He visited a market in North Hollywood on Sunday with Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian. It was one of the dozens of stops he plans to make until Tuesday.

Bass also made her campaign rounds Sunday on a double-decker bus, accompanied by former L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The congresswoman visited about 10 canvassing sites, and said she's going to continue working hard right up to the election.

In-person voting is already underway in L.A. County, with more vote center locations already open.

Along with the race for mayor, L.A. voters will decide on citywide races for controller and city attorney, as well as City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15.

The top two candidates in each race will continue to a runoff in November, unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote during the primary.

Elections for Los Angeles City Council districts 1, 3, 7 and 9 include only two candidates and will be decided in June.

People who missed the registration deadline can still register at any L.A. County vote center through June 7.

Once registered, voters will be given a Conditional Voter Registration ballot to vote.

The ballot will be counted once it is verified. A map of vote center locations can be found here.

City News Service, Inc. contributed to this report.