Report: Bill Simon to Drop Out of Calif. Gov. Race

Fox News Channel is reporting that California gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon will announce he is dropping out of the recall race at a press conference scheduled for later today.

Such an announcement would remove one of Republican frontrunner Arnold Schwarzenegger's two main GOP rivals, leaving State Sen. Tom McClintock as the only other Republican candidate garnering significant support.

Earlier in the week, in an interview with nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity, Simon refused to pledge unequivocally that he would resist pressure to get out of the race, hinting that a call from President Bush could persuade him to drop out for the good of the party.

McClintock, however, told Hannity the next day that he would stay in the race no matter what.