Los Angeles mayoral candidates Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire Rick Caruso are currently on track for a November runoff, according to a new poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.
Caruso has the backing of 24% of likely voters, and Bass has 23%, according to the poll of 1,380 likely voters conducted from March 29 to April 5.
The findings show a major change from the results of a previous poll taken in February, when Bass held a wide lead over Caruso. Since the last poll, support for Caruso has tripled, the Times reported.
In third place is L.A. City Council Member Kevin de León, who had the support of 6% of likely voters polled. That’s a decrease from February, when that number was 8%.
About 40% of likely voters are still undecided, according to the poll.
Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer known for the Grove and Americana at Brand, joined the race for mayor later than other candidates but has pumped millions into his campaign, getting a head start on advertisements.
Crime and homelessness have been top issues for L.A. mayoral candidates.
Caruso has particularly focused on the crime rate in L.A., and has criticized L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón.
The billionaire has a 4-1 lead over Bass among likely voters who said crime and public safety were top of mind, according to the Times.
Meanwhile, Bass leads among voters who cited housing affordability as a top issue.
Bass, a progressive Democratic congresswoman and L.A. native, has focused much of her messaging on tackling the city’s homelessness crisis, promising to house 15,000 people in her first year.
