Vassater Breaking With Party; Backing Olsen For Governor

Former NAT Candidate Endorsing D-R Challenger

HARLYNE, HVN--Former nationalist gubernatorial candidate Jim Vassater will not back his former NAT rival Mark Andres in the June 4th special election. Instead, Vassater will support Democratic-Reformist candidate Bernie Olsen.

Vassater broke with his own party to endorse Olsen over Andres. Many nationalists are following suit with Vassater, due to what they view as Andres' lack of experience.

At a campaign rally in Harlyne today, Vassater appeared with Olsen and spoke highly of his credentials.

"Only Bernie Olsen has the record of experience to lead this state. Only Bernie Olsen has the ability to work with members of all parties to get things done in Clevey Springs," Vassater said.

He also unleashed his harshest criticism of Andres to date.

"Why am I breaking with the [NAT] party on this? Because their nominee is unfit and unqualified for the office. Mark Andres lacks the experience and lacks the ambition to run this state," he said. "The guy can't even get his own party to back him fully. We [the NAT] clearly have a huge problem on our hands."

Reacting to Vassater's endorsement of Olsen today, the Andres campaign told the GBC that it was "disappointed but not surprised," and that "Mayor Andres regrets that his fellow nationalists are betraying him" by supporting other candidates.

Glenn Rosen, who also ran for the NAT nomination, endorsed Andres last week, despite saying during the primary campaign that the mayor of Harlyne was not experienced enough for the job.

"Do I believe he's the most experienced candidate? No, but he's the candidate that best represents my values and the values of our party. He's not a radical like Julia Giorchani and he's not an old fogie like Bernie Olsen. So I think he clearly is the best choice," Rosen said.

Andres and Olsen will face Conservative Julia Giorchani in a June 4th special election. Olsen is a retired veteran, former ambassador who served under Presidents Tracie Edinough and Dave Houston, and a former lawmaker in the Damoign legislature. Giorchani is the Federal Attorney for the state of Harvannah.