The American Spectator

Rosario Marin is now “former U.S. Treasurer” and heading back to California to launch a campaign against Sen. Barbara Boxer . Marin has met several times with White House political guru Karl Rove , who while not promising to clear the field for her, indicated his happiness that she was entering the race. /p>

Marin would seem to positioned to at least give the Republicans something they haven’t had in the Golden State for years: an attractive, Hispanic candidate capable of running statewide. “At the least, her candidacy is going to help President Bush in the longterm out there,” says a state Republican Party operative in Sacramento. “At most, we’re looking at a candidate Barbara Boxer probably prefers to not run against.”

Marin is the classic Bush/Rove candidate: a moderate on social issues, such as abortion, while remaining loyal and true to the Bush economic and international agenda. That strategy worked wonders in states like Minnesota and Missouri last year in helping the GOP retake majority control of the Senate.

Marin was expected to make no immediate formal announcement about her plans, but fundraisers in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco were already being planned at this writing.