Karen Bass and Rick Caruso projected to move on to 2022 mayoral runoff

(AP) -- Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA.) and local billionaire developer Rick Caruso are headed to a November runoff after capturing the top two spots in the Los Angeles mayoral primary.

The two candidates breezed past a large field of rivals looking to be the next mayor.  An early tally of mail-in ballots Tuesday showed Caruso with 41% and Bass with 38%. 

Polls opened at 7 a.m., though voters were able to begin voting last week in the Primary Election, used to narrow down the candidates running for those major positions, which officially came to a close at 8 p.m. Tuesday evening. 

Bass, an LA native spent time in California's State Assembly, serving as the state's Speaker in 2008 - the first African American women in the country to serve in that capacity, before being elected to Congress. 

During the 2020 presidential election, she was considered and vetted to be Joe Biden's running mate, a role that eventually went to former California Senator Kamala Harris.

If elected, Bass would be the city's first female mayor, and only the second Black mayor, after Tom Bradley.  

Caruso, the developer behind The Grove, Palisades Village and other shopping centers, was born in Los Angeles and served as the president of the civilian police commission after being appointed to the commission by Mayor James Hahn in August 2001, as well as on the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

Caruso said in January after changing his registration to Democrat that he will be a "pro-centrist, pro-jobs, pro-public safety Democrat."

Early Wednesday morning, fellow candidate Craig Greiwe and local business executive announced the formal end of his campaign in a public statement, which read in part: 

"I've always said I'll be honest with the people of this city, and today is no different.  Today, I end my campaign for Los Angeles Mayor the same way I started it: with honesty, integrity, and a commitment to making this city a better place for all of us. ... Together, we fought, for common sense and a to move our city forward.  With limited resources, and against the corruption of those who tried to silence my campaign, we did incredible work and won over thousands of voters.  We can and will make this city a better place. That will be my battle for the years to come."

Greiwe finished with .45% of the vote, with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder reporting just 1,411 total votes in the race.