Former Sacramento-area 3rd Congressional District Rep. Doug Ose had lined up local endorsements deep into John Doolittle's 4th District before Sen. Tom McClintock announced he was running to the rescue of beleagured local conservatives looking for a new champion.
McClintock's entry into the race was instant nirvana to the hard right of the Placer GOP establishment. The Placer County Republican Central Committee wasted little time in voting 19-5 to endorse McClintock.
"The McClintock campaign gives every Republican a reason to get excited and vote," local party chairman Tom Hudson gushed in a March 6 statement.
But Friday, a problem developed. It seems that the California Republican Party, which includes all 58 county central committees, is not at all excited about a local GOP committee endorsing one Republican over another in a primary.
Though the state party issued no formal order Friday, state GOP committee members meeting in Sacramento said the Placer Central Committee needs to pull back and drop its McClintock endorsement.
State party spokesman Hector Barajas said the Placer party endorsement violates specific state party rules. "The bylaws were clear, the county party could not endorse in a primary election. Such endorsements are void," Barajas said.
California Republican Party chairman Ron Nehring was due to deliver the news to Hudson, who couldn't be reached for comment, later Friday.
Hudson has argued that the Placer committee has the right to endorse under both party rules -- and constitutional protections of freedom of speech. The Placer GOP chairman continues to appear in radio spots carving up Ose on behalf of the McClintock campaign.
McClintock spokesman Stan Devereux, who said McClintock has also been endorsed by the Modoc County Central Committee, said the Hudson ads will continue. But Ose spokesman Doug Elmets, who said the Ose campaign may pursue the matter further with the state party.
For its part, the state party seems to want all sides in the dispute over local endorsements to stand down.
"It just starts opening up this Pandora's box that divides the counties," Barajas said.
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