Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., apologized Tuesday for calling retiring Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod a “bimbo” earlier in the day.  

Reacting to the fellow California Democrat’s retirement announcement to The Hill newspaper, Baca described her as a “bimbo” and said outside interests were again spending money in a race he is running.  

But in a phone call to CQ Roll Call late Tuesday afternoon, Baca, who is running for the open 31st District and struggling to raise money , backtracked.  

“I wanted to apologize for the poor choice of words,” he said. “I was upset and disappointed that we have a person that’s not running again. To me [Negrete McLeod’s retirement] was a disservice to the area.”  

“The people lost the representative. They want someone who’s got continuity. … I was just disappointed. That’s all it was.”  

A spokesman for Negrete McLeod declined to comment when reached by phone.  

Negrete McLeod ousted Baca from Congress in 2012 in the 35th District, and the two have what has been described as a political “blood feud.” He is now running for Congress in the neighboring 31st District for the seat Republican Rep. Gary G. Miller is vacating.