Republican Ex-Rival Supports Garamendi
A former Republican rival of Democrat John Garamendi took the unusual step Thursday of endorsing him for insurance commissioner.
Wes Bannister of Huntington Beach was the GOP nominee for the post in 1990, running again in 1994 and this year. He lost this year’s primary race to Republican Gary Mendoza.
As the state’s insurance commissioner from 1990 to 1994, Garamendi is better-equipped to handle an approaching crisis in insurance coverage for worker’s compensation, health care and homeowners’ policies, Bannister said.
“There may be some individuals in the party that come unglued” because of the endorsement. “But we need right now someone who will be proactive on all of the problems we’re having” in the state’s $90-billion-a-year industry.
Mendoza is a lawyer who was former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan’s deputy for economic development. He also was a commissioner of corporations in the administration of Republican Gov. Pete Wilson.
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