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The endorsement hit the internets yesterday after the California GOP Board of Directors made their decision.

From the press release:

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Emken, an accomplished businesswoman specializing in efficiency and cost-cutting, and nationally recognized advocate for autism research and treatment, has received the unanimous endorsement of the California Republican Party in her bid to unseat Dianne Feinstein from the U.S. Senate.

“This is the equivalent of winning the primary under the old system,” said California Republican Party Executive Director Brent Lowder.

Under the new open primary system, Emken’s endorsement gains the full support and backing of the California Republican Party’s statewide operations. Elected state party leaders met yesterday in Burbank as dozens of candidates from Assembly, State Senate, and Congressional races, as well as the U.S. Senate contest, made their bids for the party’s endorsement.

“This was a humbling experience and a tremendous honor to receive the Party’s endorsement,” said Emken. “I look forward to the challenge ahead and will start right away building a strong partnership with Chairman Del Beccaro and Republican leaders as we work toward victory together.”

Emken becomes the first Republican candidate to earn the Party’s statewide endorsement under a format established as a result of Proposition 14, California’s new open primary that eliminated the traditional ballot process to determine Republican nominees.

I would have preferred the state Republican Party NOT to endorse in this race.

Why?

There is nothing wrong with Elizabeth Emken and I WILL vote for her, if she receives the Republican nomination. But, there are some other Republicans running in this race and they deserve state party support too – most notably, Al Ramirez and Dan Hughes.

I say with multiple GOP candidates in the top-two field, the state party should stay the hell out of the way and not show offical party favoritism. California no longer has contested primary elections and a state party miscue could doom the party from placing a candidate in the general election.

The California GOP will be mightily embarrassed should Ramirez or Hughes beat Emken in the June Primary and win the likely right to face off against long-time incumbent Democrat U.S. senator Dianne Feinstein.

Then, the party leaders will do what, with a pissed off Republican registered candidate against Senator Dianne Feinstein?