A candidate for district attorney in Santa Clara County has agreed to seek a court order to amend his ballot statement at the request of the Mercury News. Jeff Rosen, a deputy district attorney, included in his statement the following:

“‘Jeff Rosen is the most respected career prosecutor in the office.’ — San Jose Mercury News.”

But Merc editor David Butler objected to the statement because it implied Rosen had been endorsed by the paper. The Merc said the quote actually appeared in a column written by Scott Herhold, a columnist and reporter.

Butler said “candidates must be careful to distinguish between the paper’s editorial board and its columnists and reporters. Only the editorial board speaks for the paper as a whole.” Rosen, who is challenging incumbent Delores Carr, said the mistake was unintentional.