Brent Roske, a television producer and director who was running as an independent, has dropped out of the race for the congressional seat held by retiring Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and endorsed fellow independent Marianne Williamson. The Williamson campaign released a video of Roske’s endorsement at its campaign headquarters on May 9, and welcomed his support as a sign of that campaign’s growing momentum.
It was probably the most attention the Roske campaign has had, aside from a somewhat mocking profile in a New York Times article on the race several weeks ago, “The Real House Candidates of Beverly Hills.” The alliance with Williamson is also a natural one: Roske was overheard telling several supporters at a recent forum in the district: “Lots of people tell me they’d vote for me if it wasn’t for Marianne in the race,” he said.
The endorsement may not bring many new supporters to Williamson, but it allows her campaign to highlight its progress. And, indeed, Williamson is one of the few candidates who has achieved widespread name recognition in the district, partly because of her large fundraising advantage but mostly because of a large and enthusiastic volunteer effort. Political analysts suggest that she has a good chance of qualifying for the general election.