Latin Chamber-affiliated PAC will back Flores exclusively, official says

Author’s note: This post has been updated with new information.

UPDATE: Hours after I was told today by a reliable source that the Latino BizPAC, the Latin Chamber’s political action committee, was prepared to issue a joint endorsement of both Democrat Lucy Flores and Republican Mark Hutchison for lieutenant governor, a chamber official called to say the group was, in fact, endorsing Flores exclusively.

Javier Trujillo, chairman of the Latin Chamber’s Board of Directors, said the Latino BizPAC’s endorsements were still being debated as late as this afternoon. The group’s final position was a sole endorsement of Flores, he said. A news release prepared by the BizPAC shows Flores receiving the group’s exclusive endorsement.

The news release reflects no other changes from the information I received earlier this afternoon, from a source who requested confidentiality to discuss information that was not yet public. Trujillo suggested that source only had preliminary information.

It’s a curious development, indeed.

UPDATE 2: In addition to cutting Hutchison out of its endorsements, the group also nixed a preliminary endorsement of Democrat Andrew Martin for state controller.

Hutchison, an freshman state senator midway through his first term, is running as the handpicked choice of Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval. Flores, a two-term assemblywoman, is running as the de facto top Democratic candidate, after her party failed to muster a legitimate candidate to challenge Sandoval.

The Latino BizPac will also endorse Sandoval, along with Democrats Ross Miller (for attorney general), Kate Marshall (for secretary of state) and Kim Wallin (for state treasurer).

In competitive state Senate races, the BizPac will support Democratic candidates Assemblywoman Marilyn Dondero Loop in state Senate District 8 and state Sen. Justin Jones in Senate District 9. But the PAC will also endorse Republican state Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson in Senate District 20.

In local races, the PAC supports the re-election of all incumbent Clark County commissioners, as well as the election of appointed incumbent District Attorney Steve Wolfson and Assistant Sheriff Joe Lombardo to replace outgoing Sheriff Doug Gillespie.