FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog

Yesterday, the national press picked up on the fact that Meg Whitman was apparently a go for a run for California Governor in 2010.

Today, Whitman, the former President and CEO of eBay, was seeking support from Republican Legislators in the State Capitol.

Whitman, a Republican, was meeting today with members of the GOP caucus not yet aligned with anyone in the 2010 governor’s race.

They’re harder to find than you might think, as Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has stumped hard among Republican lawmakers for their support.

Poizner, who first won elective office in 2006, has already garnered the support of 31 of the 44 GOP state legislators.

It seems non-productive and down-right destructive for two well financed GOP players to face each other in a divisive primary election for Governor.

Might Meg Whitman be persuaded to run instead for the U.S. Senate against Barbara Boxer?

Like Flap said the first time.

So Says Ben Smith over at Politico. But, it has been known for quite some time here in California GOP circles.

Whitman will first have to beat the only elected statewide GOP officeholder, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner in the June 2010 primary election and then likely face off against Democrat former California Governor and current Attorney General Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown.

Let’s look at a fairly recent poll:

Meg Whitman will have the support of California conservatives, Proposition 8 (pro-traditional marriage) supporters and will be able to self-fund a formidable advertising campaign.

Stay tuned………

Update:

The Poitico had another piece later in the day outlining an uphill battle for Whitman.

“The good news for Meg Whitman is that she’s a billionaire and can finance a lavish campaign. The bad news is that her main rival, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, is also a billionaire and can match her dollar for dollar,” said John J. Pitney Jr., a political science professor at California’s Claremont McKenna College.

Despite her national profile, Whitman still faces an uphill climb in terms of voter identification. A November statewide survey of 527 registered voters conducted by the Field Poll showed that 67 percent had no opinion of the former eBay CEO while 17 percent held a favorable view and 16 percent viewed her negatively.

Flap thinks Whitman has “the outsider” working for her, especially since California voters are “pissed off” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democrat dominated California Legislature.

A fresh face is perhaps what the voters want, especially if she is to face retread California Governor Jerry Brown.

Former Democrat Mayor of San Francisco and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown seems to think Jerry Brown is a go as a REPRISE California Governor - despite Senator Dianne Feinstein’s intentions.

Then, in walks Jerry Brown and his wife and campaign manager, Anne Gust, and Joe Trippi - Howard Dean’s guru of online campaigning. A few minutes later Peter Coyote walks in.

Jerry was singularly focused on Dianne Feinstein. Every other line was an inquiry about my assessment or Rose’s assessment or Peter’s assessment or anyone else’s assessment about Dianne’s candidacy for governor.

He didn’t seem at all worried about Gavin Newsom.

Finally I asked Jerry, “Are you really deadly serious about running for governor?”

“I am, I am,” he said.

So I told him: “Then you should announce. Make it serious.

“Dianne is not going to run in a crowd of people,” I said. “Newsom is already in and John Garamendi is in. If you add your name to that list, Dianne will announce her chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee and stay in Washington.”

And, Brown’s former chief of staff and recalled California Governor (replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger) Gray Davis is fundraising for Jerry.

Davis sent a note last week inviting donors to a reception he is hosting at his home for Brown this Tuesday.

“Jerry has done a great job as California’s attorney general,” Davis wrote to invitees. “Please join us in supporting his re-election campaign.”

Donors are asked to give from $2,000 to the legal maximum of $12,000.

Officially, the money raised must go toward Brown’s reelection campaign for attorney general.

But Brown, who served two terms as governor before term limits were in place, is making noise about running for the state’s top office again. And any funds he raises for his reelection campaign can easily be transferred to a run for governor. Brown has already stripped his 2010 campaign account title of any reference to attorney general. It’s simply “Jerry Brown 2010.”

Flap knows that Jerry Brown is a GO unless his health fails. But, will a retread Brown be able to beat either Steve Poizner or Meg Whitman?

Stay tuned……

As the Steve Poizner for Governor website says.

But, there may be a few more Republican candidates for Poizner to worry about - like eBay’s Meg Whitman.

Oh, and Steve as others point out - what is your solution for the California budget mess? His policy statements are here on other issues.

The AP and AllahPundit over at Hot Air ponder Mitt Romney’s political future and fate vis a vis the emergence of Sarah Palin.

Mitt Romney’s path to re-emerge from the political wilderness is through California and it has already started.

Remember the tag team of Meg Whitman, former President and CEO of eBay and Mitt Romney for the U.S. Senate seat of Barbara Boxer and the term limited out seat of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It has been rumored for weeks that Romney is leaking he is interested in entering California GOP politics.

California’s economy is poor and ripe for the deliverance of new leadership away from the failed policies of the Democrat dominated Legislature and RINO Schwarzenegger. Romney or Whitman as accomplished business professionals may be what California voters desire. And, both had major presence in the successful pro-Proposition 8 campaign that restored the traditional definition of marriage.

Watch in January whether Mitt opens a federal U.S. Senate fundraising committee. If Romney doesn’t then, it will be Romney for Governor and Whitman for Senate.

Mitt Romney should he win California office will be well positioned to again seek the Presidency, Palin notwithstanding. If not, Romney will NOT be a Presidential player in 2012 or thereafter.

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…….