Former Rep. Darrell Issa received endorsements Thursday from major Republican notables Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich in his campaign for the 50th Congressional District seat, which a rival candidate termed the product of political “favors.”
Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and two-time candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, recorded a radio commercial for Issa.
“I know for a fact President Trump trusts Darrell and can rely on him. Darrell will help the president build the wall and secure our borders,” Huckabee said.
Gingrich, a former House speaker who sought the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, endorsed Issa on his Twitter account and in a radio commercial.
“I know he’s a solid conservative. I know he’s the kind of person that President Trump needs in Washington. I know that he’s fought to clean the swamp up long before most people had ever heard the term,” Gingrich said in the ad.
The seat was vacated by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, who resigned after pleading guilty to one count of misusing campaign funds. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
The campaign of another Republican seeking the seat in the March 3 primary, former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, issued a statement deriding the endorsements as the product of unspecified political “favors.”
“It’s no surprise that after nearly 20 years of hanging out in the swamp, career politicians are now returning favors for Darrell Issa,” the campaign’s statement read. “Fortunately, San Diegans know Carl DeMaio is the fighter President Trump needs to have his back in Congress.”
DeMaio received endorsements earlier this week from border security advocates and former San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock, who cited support for DeMaio’s “five-point border security initiative,” aimed at halting illegal immigration, including funding the border wall, changing immigration and asylum laws and repealing sanctuary state laws.