"Issa's endorsement is very strange."
I just looked up Issa's voting record on abortion, and it is excellent, with the sole exception of his vote in favor of federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research on embryos "donated" by artificial-insemination clinics. But I could have sworn that he campaigned as pro-choice on abortion when he ran in the GOP Senate primary in 1998 and when he first ran for Congress in 2000.
I read Barone's Almanac last night, and Issa ran as a pro-lifer right from the start. I don't know why I thought he was pro-choice.
However, I noticed that Issa had a very contentious, mudslinging GOP primary in 2000 for the 49th CD nomination with----State Senator Bill Morrow. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that he would endorse one of Morrow's primary opponents, although why Bilbray and not Kaloogian I have no idea.