GOP candidate withdraws from race against Rohrabacher, urges supporters to vote for Baugh |

A GOP congressional candidate running against Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has withdrawn from the crowded race just six weeks before the Primary Election in an effort to consolidate GOP votes behind the congressman’s top inter-party opponent, Scott Baugh.

If Baugh, the former chair of the county GOP, siphons enough Republican votes from Rohrabacher in the June 5 top-two primary, it’s possible the two men could both advance to the November ballot, leaving Democrats without a candidate in the General Election even if, as a group, they get more votes than the GOP candidates.

“If I were to stay in the race, Scott would have had a much harder time to be able to make it to the (November) runoff against Dana and win,” said businessman candidate Stelian Onufrei, who announced his withdrawal at a Thursday morning press conference. “I believe that Scott is a much better choice than Dana.”