DeVore’s opponents feature his endorsers in their campaigns

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Chuck DeVore doesn’t have the most money in his bid U.S. Senate, but he does have the backing of some of California’s leading conservative voices. Now, his GOP primary opponents are trying to take that away -- featuring DeVore backers in their own TV ads and political mailers.

Republican Tom Campbell released a new TV ad today that quotes GOP Rep. Tom McClintock on screen calling Campbell “clear, straightforward, honest.” The problem? McClintock has endorsed DeVore (R-Irvine), not Campbell.

Meanwhile, Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief, featured quotes from two prominent anti-tax advocates in a recent campaign mailer: Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., and Lew Uhler, president of the National Tax Limitation Committee.

Yet both have endorsed DeVore.

‘Let me be clear: I do not support Carly Fiorina. Her campaign’s dishonest tactics are a disgrace,” Uhler said in a statement.

“It’s a backhanded compliment that both of the rival campaigns feel the need to steal our endorsers,” said Joshua Trevino, a DeVore spokesman. “We agree with them: The best conservative leaders do endorse Chuck DeVore.”

Watch the Campbell ad and McClintock’s two-minute testimonial of DeVore below:

[Updated 5 p.m.: Amy Thoma, a Fiorina spokeswoman, says of the campaign mailer, “We stand by it.” She accuses DeVore of “disgusting,” “baseless” and “nasty campaigning.”]

-- Shane Goldmacher in Sacramento