Former Sen. Barbara Boxer endorses Adam Schiff in Senate race

(Inside California Politics) — Former Sen. Barbara Boxer endorsed Rep. Adam Schiff in the race for her former colleague Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat on Thursday.

Boxer had previously said she would stay neutral on the race but now says recent events in the race have caused her to change her mind.

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“There’s been more than one attack by Katie Porter on Adam Schiff,” Boxer said. “The first one was during the debate, she accused him of taking dirty money. Adam is playing by the rules of the game. Katie Porter, if she doesn’t take PAC money, that’s fine. But don’t go after a fellow Democrat after you’ve taken his money in the past for your House race and say he’s taking dirty money.”

Another event that the former Senator said irked her occurred this week.

Schiff’s campaign released a political ad attacking Republican candidate Steve Garvey. The ad was seen by some analysts as an effort to raise the Republican’s profile during the primary in hopes that Schiff would be pitted against him in November, all but assuring Schiff’s win in a Democrat-heavy state.

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Porter released a statement calling the move “brazenly cynical.”

“Adam Schiff knows he will lose to me in November,” Porter posted on social media. “That’s what this brazenly cynical ad is about—furthering his own political career, boxing out qualified Democratic women candidates, and boosting a Republican candidate to do it. We need honest leadership, not political games.”

Boxer said Schiff has been nothing but an ally to women in politics.

“And now saying that he’s against women when Adam Schiff has been, what we call as women in politics, Sir Galahad. He’s a Sir Galahad. That’s why Nancy Pelosi endorsed him. He’s a great guy and he’s been side by side with us every step of the way. So yes, this has pushed me over the line.”

Galahad is a knight from Arthurian legend famed for his purity.

In a poll by Inside California Politics and Emerson College Polling in mid-January, Schiff led the race with 25%, followed by Garvey (18%), Porter (13%) and Barbara Lee (8%).

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