Some of Palin’s Facebook fans unhappy with her endorsement of Fiorina in Calif. Senate race

Some Palin Facebook fans unhappy with endorsement

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has outraged some of her fans with an endorsement of former Hewlett-Packard executive Carly Fiorina in the GOP’s U.S. Senate primary in California.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate made the endorsement on her Facebook page, saying Fiorina’s experience running a major corporation is sorely lacking in Washington. In the Thursday posting, Palin called Fiorina a “Commonsense Conservative” who has the potential to beat “liberal” Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in November.

Fiorina got Palin’s endorsement over former congressman Tom Campbell, who is leading in most polls, and Chuck DeVore, a favorite of tea party supporters.

More than 7,400 Palin fans clicked the “like” button on the Facebook endorsement, but the snub of DeVore prompted the Facebook outcry.

There is no “dislike” button on Facebook. But scores of the nearly 1,800 comments from Palin’s 1.5 million-plus Facebook supporters — many among the tea party faithful — took the time to plead in Facebook comments for Palin to change her endorsement. Some called Palin just another typical politician who was losing supporters, while others said they backed her choice and still admired her. Both sentiments also were posted on Palin’s Facebook Wall.

Palin later posted an addendum, noting that “some reaction right out of the chute calls for more information.”

She listed reasons for her support, including Fiorina’s endorsement by the National Right to Life and the California Pro-Life Council.

“She is pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-military, and pro-strict border security and against amnesty. She is against Obamacare and will vote to repeal it and prevent the government takeover of private companies and industries,” Palin wrote. “Carly is also a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. Like me, she is a member of the (National Rifle Association), has a 100 percent NRA rating, and she and her husband are gun owners. She is pro-energy development and believes as I do in an all-of-the-above approach to energy independence.”

Jason Recher, a spokesman for Palin, said Friday that Palin respects the differing opinions, but is sticking by her choice for the reasons she stated.

“The governor is never one to go with the flow,” Recher said. “She is a very independent person and she shakes things up in establishments — including grassroots establishments — all the time.”