In an email to the press titled “Brad Torgan Announces Endorsement Decision,” gay Republican and one-time California Assembly District 50 candidate Brad Torgan alerts political journalists that he is, in fact, endorsing no one. So much for that.

Torgan placed a somewhat surprising third in the extremely tight open primary for Assembly District 50. Whoever wins in November will land one of the best jobs in the California State Legislature — AD 50, which stretches from Malibu to Hancock Park, is home to some of the richest, most liberal, most famous, and most influential people in the United States.

California Assemblywoman Betsy Butler and Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom, who are facing each other in the runoff, may be a little disappointed by not snatching Torgan's endorsement, but it's certainly not a campaign breaker.

In his email, Torgan inform us:

“I am honored that both Assembly member Butler and Mayor Bloom have asked for my endorsement. One of the many enjoyable parts of the campaign was the opportunity to meet both of them.

He continues:

“I like them both, and their respective commitments to public service are genuine and sincere. Even though we look through vastly different partisan lenses, I even managed to find some issues of common agreement with both of them. In the end, though, the ideological divide is simply too great and I will be making no public endorsement at this time. I wish them both well and look forward to a spirited debate about the issues that confront California as we move towards the November election.”

The race between Butler and Bloom, who are both Democrats, is expected to be a nail bitter.

Butler has the powerful California State Democratic Party behind her, but Bloom has been hitting the campaign trail hard and has solid support in Santa Monica.

Torgan's backing for either one of them may have nudged some Republicans their way, but, for the most part, an endorsement such as this one would not have dramatically altered the political landscape.

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

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