Tim Whitacre pulled Jennifer Fitzgerald, citing her lack of involvement in the Fullerton recall. He argued that Barry Levinson is a Republican candidate who filled out the paperwork and met the regular endorsement deadline and that Levinson was the top runner-up among replacement candidates in the Fullerton recall.

Fitzgerald said she took a neutral position when the anti-recall side asked for her endorsement. She argued the recall was a first step. She spoke of her support for Bruce Whitaker and Travis Kiger’s request for information from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for police services.

Oddly, everyone keeps calling Bruce Whitaker Mayor when he is Mayor Pro Tem (the Mayor is Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva, who is leaving the Council this year to run for the Assembly).

Jon Fleishman urges that the early endorsement not be made tonight and that the endorsements committee should discuss the endorsement in September due to the fact that more Republicans are running than spots are available.

Cathy Green argues Fitzgerald has good Republican credentials and should be endorsed.

Todd Spitzer says Fullerton is unlike any other jurisdiction in Orange County right now. He supports Fitzgerald but believes that the endorsement should be discussed in September because Levinson is a strong Republican who fought for an anti-sex offender ordinance in Fullerton. He argues this isn’t about Fitzgerald but to give Levinson a fair shake.

A strong majority votes to send this to a September endorsement committee meeting rather than an early endorsement in August. Incumbents Kiger and Whitaker are the sole OCGOP early endorsements for Fullerton.