Blow for top rival Rep. Loretta Sanchez.
AB Wire
California Gov. Jerry Brown has endorsed Kamala Harris for the U.S. Senate, reported the Los Angeles Times.
Brown said that Harris, who has Indian and African roots, has served the state well as attorney general. It delivered a blow to Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Santa Ana), her top rival in the race.
“Kamala has done a great job and, as her client, I know what a hell of a lawyer she is,” Brown said. “She’s intelligent; she knows what she’s doing.”
Brown announced support at the headquarters of the California Democratic Party, which had endorsed Harris during the party’s February convention in San Jose, reported the Times.
The move crystallizes her support among the state’s top Democratic politicians.
Harris’ longtime friend and San Francisco political ally Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed her Senate bid in January.
Brown, Newsom and Harris all use the same San Francisco political consulting firm, SCN Strategies, which includes political advisors Ace Smith, Sean Clegg and Dan Newman.
Harris also has been endorsed by state Treasurer John Chiang, Controller Betty Yee and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones.
Harris was first elected attorney general in 2010, and was reelected in 2014.
There are 34 Senate candidates on the June 7 primary ballot. Recent opinion polls show that Harris is the solid frontrunner and have Sanchez in second place.
Under California’s “top-two” primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the June primary will face off in the November general election, even if they belong to the same political party.
Read the full story: http://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-jerry-brown-kamala-harris-endorsement-htmlstory.html