Last week, it looked as if the Republican field for the upcoming special election in CA-48 to replace GOP Rep. Chris Cox, who President Bush has nominated to be head of the Security and Exchange Commission, was getting settled. But this week’s decision by state Senate Republican leader Dick Ackerman, the early frontrunner, to drop out of the race and throw his support behind fellow Republican state Sen. John Campbell, has shaken up this still-evolving contest.
As recently as a week ago, Campbell had expressed no real interest in running the seat, and was focused instead on assuming the leadership post Ackerman was expected to vacate. However, when Senate Republicans -- including Ackerman -- got behind another Senator for the job, Campbell responded by throwing his hat in the ring for Congress. Campbell, who represents a significant chunk of the 48th congressional district, including Newport Beach and Irvine, is the strong favorite to win the seat. One California Republican insider told us that the Senator should “start printing up his business cards.” Campbell served four years in the state
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