"I would give the same advice to all: that you should let the process play out before you start issuing press releases," Baugh said.
Wu said Wednesday he wasn't trying to mislead. He sent out his announcement quickly, he said, and maybe he could have been clearer with his wording. He noted that Baugh had asked to postpone discussion of Newport endorsement recommendations, but the committee didn't want to wait.
Between now and the full central committee meeting, Wu will be lobbying for the two-thirds vote he needs for the official county GOP endorsement.
"Obviously you don't take anything for granted," he said. "You can't be overconfident."
In Newport races, the recommended candidates are Wu in District 1 and Councilman Ed Selich in District 5. The party already voted to endorse appointed incumbents Keith Curry and Leslie Daigle, and members decided Aug. 21 not to support Councilman Dick Nichols.
The endorsements committee on Monday also recommended opposing Measure X, also known as Greenlight II, which would require public votes on some development projects in Newport Beach.
In Costa Mesa, the recommended candidate is Wendy Leece, who also has the support of GOP-endorsed candidate Mayor Allan Mansoor.
NEWPORT FORUMS
Campaign activity will pick up in Newport after Labor Day, with the first candidate forum scheduled at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 at American Legion Post 291, 215 E. 15th St., on the Balboa Peninsula. That forum will be held by the Central Newport Beach and Peninsula Point associations, with others set for Sept. 9 by the Little Balboa Island Property Owners Assn., Sept. 13 by Speak Up Newport, Sept. 27 by the West Newport Assn., and two more forums in October.
MILITARY SUPPORT
