Sen. Clinton endorses California governor

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton completed a two-day visit to California Friday, using her popularity with women and minority voters to endorse Gov. Gray Davis in his bid for reelection in November.

During a rally at the Century City Plaza Hotel, the New York Democrat joined dozens of elected officials and prominent business entrepreneurs to announce "Women for Gray Davis," emphasizing the governor's support for pro-choice issues as a platform to rally millions of California voters.

"His opponent does not want to talk about those issues -- choice, family planning, women's health care, the environment, education -- because to do so would clearly put him outside the mainstream of California," said Clinton.

Davis, citing his pro-choice stance on abortion, criticized Republican candidate Bill Simon for earlier stating "there's nothing a governor can really do on a women's right to choose." Davis said as governor, he signed seven laws affecting pro-choice decisions, including one that allows pharmacists to prescribe the so-called "morning after" pill.

"I am 100 percent pro-choice while my opponent is one hundred percent anti-pro-choice," said Davis.

Clinton acknowledged that although she is not a registered California voter, she agrees with Davis' positions on expanded access to health care, the environment, increased capital for small business firms, and the contentious issue of a woman's right to choose.

"Women's issues, the roles, the opportunities, the rights of women really are at the core of the difference in his opponent."

Clinton is the second high profile New Yorker to take an active stand in the California gubernatorial race. In the April primary, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani made campaign appearances to help Simon in his general election bid. President Bush is also expected to travel to California to lend support for the GOP candidate in the coming months.

While in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the former first lady attended two fund raisers for Davis, expected to add $1 million to his campaign.