Orange County Republican leaders delivered a narrow endorsement Monday to embattled Sheriff Michael S. Carona, one month after he lost the local party's backing in a close and contentious vote.
Carona, who will face three challengers in the June election, barely won the two-thirds support he needed for the party's endorsement. He fell one vote shy of gaining the endorsement in March.
Carona's campaign manager, former state Sen. John Lewis (R-Orange), said the action vindicated the sheriff.
"More than anything, it sets the record straight that Mike Carona is very popular with the Republican Party," Lewis said after an hourlong debate that featured impassioned pleas in favor of and against Carona.
Tim Whitacre, a party committee member and spokesman for rival candidate sheriff's Lt. William Hunt, said he was dismayed that the party endorsed anyone among four Republicans running for the seat: Carona, Hunt, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Cmdr. Ralph Martin and retired Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Alcaraz.
"This doesn't hurt our campaign, it hurts the party," Whitacre said after the meeting. "You saw people in the audience tonight you haven't seen in months."
Carona needed 43 votes out of 64 people who participated at Monday's meeting to win the endorsement, and received 44. Last month, 48 people out of a potential 70 committee members voted.
The earlier snub stung Carona, whose political career since his 1998 election has suffered from department scandals and allegations of sexual misconduct and political cronyism -- allegations he has denied. One of his hand-picked assistant sheriffs, George Jaramillo, goes on trial later this year on felony bribery and obstruction of justice charges.
Additionally, the state attorney general is investigating allegations that Carona sexually harassed two women and whether he improperly billed his election committee for $130,000 in expenses.
Carona also failed to win the endorsement of his rank-and-file deputies. Still, most local and state leaders have endorsed his campaign.
His supporters managed to maneuver a new vote by protesting statements made during the first vote by Whitacre, representing Carona's chief rival. They also contacted every central committee member and urged support for a new tally, this time favoring Carona.
Some committee members accused Carona supporters of manipulating party rules and members to get a new vote.
