CA-Gov: Meg Whitman Refuses to Debate Steve Poizner at March California GOP Convention

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, has actually been spotted in California this week to push her bid for the 2010 CA GOP gubernatorial nomination — but will she debate as the campaign against State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is heating up in a rather headline-grabbing fashion?

Poizner, speaking today on KPPC radio in Southern California, continued pounding Monday’s big story, accusing her campaign aide Mike Murphy (“an imbecile”) of political extortion in trying to get him out of the GOP governor’s race. And he said Whitman, “for some reason doesn’t want to campaign like a normal candidate,” refusing to talk to California media” and sidestepping debates.

On the debate angle, he’s got a point: looks like Whitman won’t take part in a long hoped-for debate at the upcoming 2010 state GOP spring convention in March.

Months ago, we told you that CA state GOP chair Ron Nehring was working hard to arrange candidates’ debates at the March 12-14 gathering at the Santa Clara Hyatt.

Party insiders lauded Nehring’s efforts to make it happen: debates for all statewide offices would not only excite the party’s grassroots and give the most loyal GOP voters an up-close-and-personal look at their candidates, but would be a guaranteed sell-out benefitting party coffers.

This will NOT sit well with Republican Party activists and average voters will wonder what Whitman has to hide. Whitman should change her mind and debate Steve Poizner.