Support For Bustamante Grows

Labor and the Hispanic community may offer more resources to the top Democrat on the California ballot to replace Governor Gray Davis.

On Monday, the California State Employees Association said it´s against the recall, but it´s endorsing Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante as a replacement candidate. The president of the 140,000-member union says the group´s goal is to defeat the October 7 recall, but if it succeeds, it believes Bustamante has the experience to serve California.

Meanwhile, the Latino Legislative Caucus, which includes 15 state Assembly members and 9 State Senators, voted unanimously against the recall but in support of Bustamante.

The lieutenant governor is the state´s highest ranking Hispanic official. Hispanics make up more than a third of California´s population and about 14 percent of voters.