Is Rick Caruso a Republican? Katy Perry vote controversy explained as singer comes under fire online

Katy Perry recently came under fire after sharing that she voted for billionaire Democrat Rick Caruso in the Los Angeles mayoral election. The singer took to Instagram to share a series of photos from Election Day, and wrote that she voted for Caruso because LA is a “hot mess.”

In one of the photos, the Roar hitmaker was seen taking a selfie in front of the ballot while showing her vote for Caruso. In another photo, she was seen striking a pose in front of the polling venue.

Katy Perry also posted a video with an onscreen caption that read:

“Thanks for Voting. Congratulations, you have cast your ballot in the November 8, 2022 General Election. Don’t forget your sticker on the way out.”

Katy Perry's Instagram post led to an online backlash, and many people called her out for voting for a candidate who is known for “switching parties.”

While Rick Caruso is currently running for LA mayor as a member of the Democratic Party, he has been a Republican for most of his life. Prior to his Democratic affiliation, he was registered as a non-partisan.

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When did Rick Caruso change his political affiliation?

Rick Caruso began his public service career at the age of 26 and started serving as commissioner for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the youngest in the history of the city.

He was appointed to the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners in 2001 and was also elected president of the police board. He was also elected a member of the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission in 2008.

Caruso was previously known as a staunch Republican, but he switched his political affiliation in 2011 to “decline to state” while considering the idea of running in the 2013 mayoral election.

According to the LA Times, records from the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk’s office show that Caruso re-registered as a Republican in March 2016, and continued his affiliation until November 2019.

Shortly after, he reportedly switched to “no-party preference” and ultimately filed for Democratic affiliation in January of this year. Nearly a month later, Caruso officially filed to run in the 2022 mayoral election.

The LA Times noted that Rick Caruso switched his party registration four times in the last 11 years, and shifted twice between Republican and no-party preferences before re-registering as a Democrat four months ago.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Caruso company owner said he was “proud to be a Democrat.” He also called himself a centrist and said that he was “fiscally conservative but socially accepting of how people want to live their lives.”

“When I was a Republican, I was a centrist. When I was an independent, I was a centrist. As a Democrat, I’m a centrist.”

Reports suggest that Caruso has provided significant financial aid to Republican politicians over the years but has frequently donated to Democratic politicians in recent years.

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Twitter reacts to Katy Perry voting for Rick Caruso

Netizens called out Katy Perry for voting for Rick Caruso (Image via Getty Images)

Rick Caruso’s mayoral run has long been under scrutiny due to the consistent switch in his political affiliation over the years. Contrary to several voters, singer Katy Perry has long been vocal about her support for the politician.

The musician previously came under fire for cheering for Caruso on social media. She received backlash after opposing the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling in July because her mayoral candidate of choice, Rick Caruso, opposed abortion rights.

Following the mayoral elections in LA, Kate Perry landed in hot waters once again after voting for Caruso as LA Mayor. In response, several people took to Twitter to react to her decision and vote of choice.

As reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if Katy Perry will respond to the ongoing backlash for her ongoing choices. In addition to Perry, celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Pratt, and Snoop Dogg have also supported Caruso.