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The only Republican in the East Bay's 7th State Senate District special election dropped out Monday and endorsed a Democrat, less than week after the candidates' list became official.

Michaela Hertle, a cloud-computing executive from Pleasanton who has never run for elected office before, issued a statement saying she's throwing her support to centrist Democrat Steve Glazer, who is Orinda's mayor and a former political advisor to Gov. Jerry Brown.

"It has become evident that I cannot establish the funding, name recognition and support required to win this election against this field of Democratic candidates within a six-week period," she said, adding Glazer "has proven that he can work with Republicans and Democrats alike to find common sense solutions to our state's needs."

File: Orinda City Council member and State Assembly candidate Steve Glazer in Walnut Creek, Calif., Monday, June 2, 2014. (SUSAN TRIPP POLLARD)

Republicans make up 29 percent of the district's voters, so if they take heed, Hertle's endorsement could help Glazer -- who has burned most bridges with his own party and the unions that back it -- vie with the two more prominent Democrats in this race, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla and former Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan. Democrat Terry Kremin, a relative unknown who sought a Concord City Council seat in 2010, also is running.

The special primary will be held March 17, and the special general election on May 19.

Hertle praised Glazer's fiscal conservatism; his support of public pension reform and school reform; and his willingness to buck labor unions and other special interests. Republicans "have more commonalities with him than differences and he can win this race," she said.

Glazer on Monday called Hertle's endorsement "a big boost."

"I've promoted a bipartisan experience and track record and her endorsement is a great validation of that effort," he said. "It underscores what makes my candidacy unique."

Glazer incurred unions' wrath by working in 2012 as a strategist for the California Chamber of Commerce's JobsPAC, which backed moderate Democrats over more liberal, labor-friendly ones. And in 2013, he capitalized on public outrage over two BART strikes by calling for a ban on transit worker strikes an idea that's anathema to many Democrats.

Continued here:
Lone Republican drops out of East Bay State Senate election