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The latest Field Poll in California has former e-Bay CEO Meg Whitman leading the Republican Field (298 Republican Primary voters sampled).

• Whitman: 21 percent
• Campbell: 18 percent
• Poizner: 7 percent
• Undecided: 54 percent

Here are screenshots of the poll details:

It is very early in this race and Whitman’s lead is not commanding with a whopping 54 per cent of California Republican voters undecided.

Let the campaigning begin…….

Dan Walters has a piece this morning that makes it nauseatingly clear – Both the LEFT and RIGHT are pandering to California’s chronic structural deficit problems and offer little in solutions:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who often utters fact-challenged pronouncements, told the simple truth about the state’s budget deficit just before the Legislature adopted billions of dollars in new taxes, spending cuts and loans to close the gap, to wit:

“Anyone that runs around, I think, and says that this can be done without raising taxes, I think has not really looked at it carefully to understand this budget or has a math problem and has to get back, as I said, and take Math 101.”

Given the hyperventilation we’ve seen in the last few days, this state must have lots of innumerate people.

Governor Schwarzenegger replaced former Democrat Governor Gray Davis via recall because of his California budget failures and increasing tax burden. Arnold has done little over the past six years except bloviate about post-partisan politics, global warming and accept every increase in spending the California Legislature delivers to him. The Governator has failed.

California needs fiscal leadership and budget reform with a specific plan – not pandering.

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former e-Bay CEO Meg Whiman, both Republican candidates for Governor should direct their energies towards solving California’s problems and leave the political hyperbolic pandering to John and Ken. Both bloviated at this weekend’s California Republican Party convention in Sacramento.

Two wealthy Silicon Valley titans courted support for their 2010 gubernatorial campaigns Saturday before riled-up party activists angry over taxes, fed up with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and distrustful of moderate candidates.

So state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner promised at a news conference that he would never raise taxes as governor.

And former eBay CEO Meg Whitman carefully explained to more than 900 state party delegates why she registered as a decline-to-state voter from 1998 to 2007 before re-registering as Republican.

She also apologized for “failing to vote on a number of occasions,” including in the 2003 recall election of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.

“They have things to prove to party activists,” said Republican political consultant Dave Gilliard of the top two GOP contenders to replace Schwarzenegger. “They have to give some red meat to demonstrate their commitment to Republican principles. Taxes will be the litmus test.”

Time for leadership instead of “RED MEAT.” Time for a plan not a website.

What is their excuse?

California State Senate Democrat Leader Darrell Steinberg continues to hold the Senate hostage and in “LOCK DOWN” (Senators cannot leave the Capitol) in an attempt to pass a California State Budget which includes tax increases.

The state Senate reconvened Wednesday morning and lifted the call on the tax-hike part of the legislative puzzle.

The roll was called and the votes remained unchanged around 8:30 a.m. 23 ayes. 12 noes.

Senate Democrats immediately called for a private caucus off the floor.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, in a brief interview, reiterated that the Democrats’ strategy remains the same, despite the ousting of GOP leader Dave Cogdill late last night.

“The question is does this mean we go back to square one and start over? Absolutely not,” the bleary-eyed Sacramento Democrat said.

He is “focused on gaining the one additional vote” needed to pass the budget, he said.

Negotiations continue with GOP Senator Abel Maldonado on his “WISH LIST” who voted NO on the budget late last night.

It seems to Flap that a TIME OUT should be called and a continuing resolution ala Steve Poizner should be considered along with a special election in May.

Stay tuned….

Steve Poizner, Republican California Insurance Commissioner and candidate for California Governor has come out against the Big 5 California Budget deal.

State Insurance Commission and Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner called on lawmakers today to put the brakes on a contentious, 18-month budget deal and instead pass an emergency, six-month package to keep California from insolvency.

With lawmakers one vote shy of a deal to close a $40 billion hole in the state budget, Poizner said all sides should back away from the plan in order to avoid tax increases he charged would disproportionately affect middle- and low-income Californians.

Roughly $10 billion of the $14 billion in taxes would come from hiking taxes on gas, income and vehicles.

“They don’t have the guts to raise taxes on rich people because rich people have lobbyists and rich people are mobile and rich people will leave,” Poizner said in a meeting today with The Bee Capitol Bureau. “And yet they’re raising taxes on people who aren’t mobile, who don’t have lobbyists. This is really the most disgusting, terrible thing I’ve heard in a long time – the idea of raising $14 billion of taxes on working class people who are about to lose their homes.”

Poizner said lawmakers should cut a six-month budget deal that would include $15.8 billion in state spending cuts and $10.9 billion in borrowing – figures already negotiated by lawmakers – and up to $10 billion in state aid from the federal economic stimulus package approved by Congress.

Afterward, Poizner said lawmakers should develop a budget for the following 12 months that would streamline state government and balance the books without raising taxes.

Steve Poizner is moving to the RIGHT on fiscal policy and is positioning himself well in the race for the GOP nomination for Governor against former e-Bay CEO Meg Whitman. Poizner has garned most of the endorsements of the GOP members of the California Legislature.

Now, will Poizner be able to persuade anti-tax crusaders and Los Angeles radio (KFI 640) shock jocks John and Ken to support him?

Stay tuned as the California State Budget Stalemate continues.

Today there is a feature puff piece in the Los Angeles Times saying the “reformed reformer” Jerry Brown, currently California’s Attorney General is running again for California governor – 35 years after winning the seat.

Well, this has been no secret in California political circles for many months and Brown known for years as “Governor Moonbeam” has raised a ton of money for the race.

Why should the GOP be happy with the prospect of having one of its candidates, either Steve Poizner, California Insurance Commissioner or Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay run against Brown?

Look at this recent poll:

Note the favorable/unfavorable ratio for Jerry Brown. And, Brown is 70 years old and will face off against a younger generation of pols.

The likelihood of Brown winning the Democrat Primary election in June 2010 will be high. He will face off against a Democrat cast of many( some will undoubtedly drop out) – all much younger candidates but each with their on set of unfavorables: Gavin Newsom, the Mayor of San Francisco – Gay Marriage and extra-marital sex scandal; LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – exra-marital sex scandal with a Latina news reporter.

A young, vigorous Republican business oriented candidate will be able to win in financially ravaged California.

Jerry Brown’s political baggage from over 4 decades of political nonsense will also be campaign fodder for the GOP media campaign – from the appointment of Rose Bird as California Supreme Court Chief Justice to the oppositon to Proposition 13 to sleeping on a mattress while he was governor.

Please Jerry run……Run Jerry run…..

The latest poll from Rasmussen is extremely favorable for former eBay CEO Meg Whitman in the race for California Governor in 2010.

The race may be nearly two years away, but early match-ups for the 2010 gubernatorial election in California show that it’s likely to be a close one.

With the state’s current Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ineligible for reelection, the most prominent name mentioned on the GOP side is former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, and for now she beats two of the three leading early contenders for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

The Poll:

• Meg Whitman – 38% Vs. Jerry Brown (California Attorney General and former Governor – 40%
• Meg Whitman – 37% Vs. Gavin Newsom (San Francisco Mayor) – 34%
• Meg Whitman – 41% Vs. Antonio Villaraigosa (Los Angeles Mayor) – 34%

Favorability:

Forty-three percent (43%) of California voters view Whitman favorably, including 10% Very Favorable, while 22% view her unfavorably. Just five percent (5%) have a Very Unfavorable opinion of Whitman. A third of voters (34%) don’t know enough about her to form an opinion.

Brown is the most well-known name to California voters and is viewed favorably by 46%, including 24% who say that view is Very Favorable. Thirty-eight percent (38%) have an unfavorable opinion of Brown, with 26% Very Unfavorable. Just 16%, however, are not sure what they think of the 70-year-old Brown who has been a fixture in California politics for nearly 40 years.

Newson is viewed favorably by 36%, unfavorably by 41%, and 23% are not sure what they think of him. Thirteen percent (13%) have a Very Favorable opinion of Newsom and 25% a Very Unfavorable view. Villaraigosa’s ratings are 38% favorable, with 13% Very Favorable, and 42% unfavorable, including 27% Very Unfavorable. Twenty percent (20%) are not sure what they think of Villaraigosa.

Flap had mentioned that since Steve Poizner, California’s only statewide elected office holder, was running for Governor that perhaps Whitman should should run for the United States Senate instead. But, with these excellent poll numbers, it is fiull speed ahead with the governor’s race.

But, what will a contested GOP primary election do to her unfavorability ratings?

Stay tuned….

Watch Meg Whitman on video at the press conference referenced above.

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.