More problems for Meg Whitman in her race to beat Jerry Brown.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca weighed in on the governor’s race Wednesday, endorsing Democratic candidate Jerry Brown.

Baca, a registered Republican, cited Brown’s record on public safety in an announcement released on Brown’s campaign website.

“Jerry Brown has championed the rights of crime victims, toughened criminal penalties and developed innovative crime-fighting technologies,” Baca said in the statement. “Jerry Brown has always stood with me and my deputies and I am proud to stand with him in his campaign for governor.”

Whitman needs to win a portion of Los Angeles County to be competitive with Jerry Brown and the endorsement by a REPUBLICAN law enforcement official does not help – at all.

Older California voters remember Jerry Brown appointing far left judges who opposed the death penalty among other things but with Baca’s endorsement it sends the message that Brown is not soft on crime – which he is.

Sheriff Baca endorsing Jerry Brown is a blow to Meg Whitman’s electoral chances and one has to wonder if there will be more GOP defections as Whitman sinks in the polls.