Sen. Gloria Romero has dropped out of the running to replace Rep. Hilda Solis in Congress, the Los Angeles Democrat announced late Thursday, throwing her support to fellow Latino candidate Sen. Gil Cedillo.
"I would have been a formidable and winning candidate and a champion for the people in the next Congress," Romero said in a statement. But "I have evaluated the wonderful opportunities before me and have chosen to listen to my heart."
Romero said she will run, as previously expected, for the post of state superintendent of public instruction in 2010.
"My passion is education. I understand that education is the civil rights issue of our time -- the great equalizer in America. My commitment -- particularly now as the Chair of both the powerful Senate Education Committee and Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee on Education -- is to lead the Senate's effort to transform and hold accountable our state's public education system," Romero said.
The jockeying for Solis' seat began after she was tapped by President-elect Barack Obama to be his first labor secretary. Solis still remains a member of Congress and the field of candidates to replace her remains fluid.
Romero threw her support behind Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, on Thursday.
The move came one day after Politico.com ran a story that began, "A splintered field of Latino candidates could lead to the election of an Asian-American in Southern California's majority-Hispanic 32nd District."
The center of that story was Board of Equalization member Judy Chu, also a Democrat, and a former member of the Assembly. She has been corralling endorsements herself, announcing the recent support of Assemblymen Kevin de León and Ed Hernandez.
One of the Calderon brothers -- either Ron, a state senator, or Charles, an assemblyman -- could still jump into the race. Calitics.com has speculated that another candidate, Emanuel Pleitez, could jump into the race.
The last we heard from Romero, she was brimming with confidence. From a Dec. 19 report:
While Cedillo was expressing his interest Thursday to reporters on the floor of the Senate, Romero wandered by and said she was "definitely" looking at jumping into the race.Told that in addition to Cedillo, the Calderon brothers -- Assemblyman Charles and state Sen. Ron -- could be contenders, Romero declared, "I can beat them all" -- and walked off.
Now, she'll likely face Assemblyman Tom Torlakson in the Democratic primary for schools chief in 2010.
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