California Congressional Democrats Endorse Bustamante

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) August 22, 2004 --California's Democratic congressional delegation on Thursday endorsed Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante's bid for governor, even as the lawmakers reiterated their opposition to the gubernatorial recall.

"We strongly oppose the recall, but if California voters make a different choice, then Lt. Gov. Bustamante is the appropriate person to assume the office," said a written statement released by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, chairwoman of the state's Democratic congressional delegation of 33 House Democrats.

The group does not include the state's two U.S. Democratic senators.

The move is a blow to embattled incumbent Gray Davis, who has struggled to maintain a picture of Democratic unity in the face of the GOP-initiated recall.

The delegation's statement came after a 20-minute conference call of a majority of its members.

Bustamante, the only leading Democrat in the recall campaign, has said that he too opposes the recall, but wants Democrats to be ready in case Davis is ousted on October 7.

Also Thursday, Bustamante is set to gain another endorsement from organized labor, which would be the fourth state union to defy the state AFL-CIO by backing a recall candidate. Aides would not say which union was set to endorse Bustamante.

Additionally, the California Teachers Association, which has been interviewing recall candidates all week, will meet later Thursday to decide whether to endorse a candidate to replace Davis. Bustamante has relatively good relations with the teachers' group.

The governor has been fighting hard to convince party leaders and constituencies to oppose the recall and remain neutral on who should succeed him.

The most prominent advocates of that position are Sen. Dianne Feinstein, state Democratic Chairman Art Torres and state AFL-CIO chief Art Pulaski.

In the delegation's statement, Lofgren emphasized the group's opposition to the recall, saying it is "plunging California into political and economic uncertainty it can't afford."

Lofgren praised Bustamante as an "independent, highly qualified, committed public servant." The statement said nothing about Davis.