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They both have as good a chance as any to represent their party (Whitman, GOP and DiFi, Democrat) according to the California Field Poll conducted before last Tuesday’s Presidential election.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the early favorite on the Democratic side of the 2010 race for governor, and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman is attracting attention in a likely battle for the GOP nomination, a new Field Poll shows.

The survey, which was taken before last week’s election and lists the favorability ratings of possible candidates to succeed Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, “is a little teaser for when we start to look closer at the governor’s race next year,” said Mark DiCamillo, the poll’s director.

Many California voters aren’t ready to shift their attention to an election that is more than 18 months away, but the fall campaign already has had an effect on San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, whose opposition to the same-sex marriage ban apparently hurt his statewide standing, according to the survey.

On the GOP side, more than two-thirds of registered voters have no opinion about Whitman, former San Jose Rep. Tom Campbell or state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.

“It’s basically a level playing field for all of them,” DiCamillo said.

Here is a poll summary:

Flap thinks that on the Demcorat side the nomination will be between Dianne Feinstein and Jerry Brown since they are both seasoned polls who can raise the mega $ millions it will take to run a statewide campaign.

Both appeal to the LEFT with Brown a little more fringe left than DiFi. However, both candidates are OLD and the newly registered young Democrats and independents (who vote in California Democrat primary elections) may be drawn to the sex scandal plagued duo of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

A multi-way race will not be advantageous to either Brown or Feinstein – look for some early knock-out blows sponsored by the big Labor unions like SEIU.

On the GOP side, Meg Whitman will be the nominee if she wants it. Campbell and Poizner are light-weights politically and although Poizner can self-fund, Whitman has the $ mega-bucks to match him dollar for dollar, plus more. Whitman is new and fresh but can she read a teleprompter?

Meg Whitman was also highly visible in the Yes on California Proposition 8 campaign which had the support of California conservatives. Flap believes Campbell favors gay marriage and Poizner remained neutral during the Prop 8 campaign.

Stay tuned as early posturing begins and don’t forget there may be a darkhorse GOP candidate should Whitman decide to sit this one out – Mitt Romney.

Stay tuned…….