More Questions About NRSC Role in Calif. Senate Primary

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Republican Senate candidate Chuck DeVore has escalated his war of words with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, citing new evidence his campaign says shows the committee is playing favorites in the California Senate primary.

The DeVore campaign leaped on comments made by potential primary rival, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Wednesday at a campaign stop in San Diego. Fiorina, who is exploring a bid but has not declared her candidacy, told reporters, "The chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee has encouraged me to enter the race, reaffirming my belief that Chuck DeVore cannot beat Barbara Boxer," which DeVore spokesman, Josh Trevino, said contradicts previous NRSC statements that it was not endorsing a candidate in the race.

In an e-mail Trevino sent to NRSC Communications Director Brian Walsh, and circulated to the press, he asked the committee to clarify "who is telling the truth on this matter:"

It's no secret that many Republicans in Washington think Fiorina, who has name recognition, the capacity to self-fund and more centrist political tendencies, is a more promising general election candidate. But she has not performed any better against third-term Democrat Boxer than DeVore in recent polls -- and unseating a Democratic incumbent in a state like California is no easy task, no matter who the GOP's nominee is.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/10/republican-senate-candidate-ch.html