-
Are California GOP Governor Candidate Meg Whitman’s Job Creation Goals Realistic Or a Rookie Mistake?
Meg Whitman, a likely candidate for California governor, speaks in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009. The former eBay chief executive stressed her goals of job creation and limited government
Meg Whitman, a candidate for the GOP nomination for California Governor on Tuesday pledged to create two million more jobs in the Golden State – within five years.
Is this goal realistic?Not really and as Dan Walters writes it is pretty much HOT AIR.
It’s doubtful whether anything she could do as governor would reach that goal, especially since she’d have to deal with a Legislature controlled by liberal Democrats who oppose her specific proposals. And really, do we really want rapid economic growth of those dimensions, even if it were possible? Probably not.
This state has had a boom-and-bust economy for too many years, with those cycles coming about once a decade. The defense spending boom of the 1980s, the hightech boom of the 1990s and the housing boom of this decade all went bust, leaving personal, economic and fiscal chaos in their wake. One effect was the state’s chronic budget crisis.
California desperately needs some economic equilibrium, with steady expansion to match our population growth.We need efficient infrastructure, and good education and job training programs to attract long-term investment in permanent new jobs.
The next governor should make those conditions a priority, not offer pie-in-the-sky promises that can’t – and shouldn’t – be kept.
Meg Whitman, the former CEO of e-Bay is a rookie in politics. She has never before run for office and has been a registered Republican only since 2007. In fact, she missed a number of elections as a California voter, including the Gray Davis recall election which elected current GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Whitman is an accomplished business woman but her stands on the issues are very similar to moderate or RINO Schwarzenegger.
California voters six years ago took a chance with another rookie politician in Schwarzenegger and it has been a disaster – both for the California Republican Party and the California economy.
California cannot afford another rookie mistake.
Technorati Tags: Meg Whitman, Arnold Schwarzenegger
-
California Election 2010, John McCain, Meg Whitman, Mitt Romney, Pete Wilson, Steve Poizner, Tony Strickland
Meg Whitman Gears Up for 2010 California Governor Race
Looks like former e-Bay CEO Meg Whitman is finally announcing a run for California Governor.Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman officially submitted her bid to explore a run for governor on Monday.
The move by the billionaire businesswoman sets up what’s expected to be an expensive, 17-month auction between herself and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner in the 2010 Republican primary.
“California faces challenges unlike any other time in its history — a weak and faltering economy, massive job losses, and an exploding state budget deficit. California is better than this, and I refuse to stand by and watch it fail,” Whitman said in a prepared statement, announcing her exploration of a run for governor. “Now is the time for people across the state to join in a cause for change, excellence and a new California.”
Whitman, 52, first stepped onto the political stage in last year’s presidential campaign, initially as a fundraiser to GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then as a senior adviser to Republican nominee John McCain.
McCain, at one point, called Whitman one of the “three wisest people” he knew, handing her a speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
The race will be an expensive one in the June GOP primary election between Whitman and California Insurance Commissioner and fellow billionaire Steve Poizner.
Whitman has an impressive list of Republican endorsers including former California Governor and U.S. Senator Pete Wilson, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Senator John McCain. Other California co-chairs of her campaign include:
- Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Moorpark
- Rep. Mary Bono-Mack, R-Palm Springs
- Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego
- Former Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, R-Lancaster
What is interesting is that Whitman boasts conservative and moderate pro-choice Republican supporters.
Whitman wil be criticzed having just registered as a Republican in 2007 and having missed some chances to vote in recent elections. But, unlike, Caroline Kennedy, Meg’s Whitman’s REAL success in business should trump these negatives.
Here is Whitman’s introductory video:
Technorati Tags: Meg Whitman
-
Poll Watch: Meg Whitman in Tie With Jerry Brown for California Governor in 2010 – Leading All Others
Economic recovery press conference: Eric Cantor, Mitt Romney and Meg Whitman, former eBay CEO and McCain campaign adviser answer questions submit by the American People via YouTube, January 15, 2009
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.
Technorati Tags: Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner, Jerry Brown, Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa
-
Chuck DeVore Preempts Arnold Schwarzenegger By Announcing California GOP Endorsements
California GOP Assemblyman and U.S. Senate candidate Chuck Devore’s Web Ad: Barbara Boxer and her tax and spend colleagues in Washington just spent $620 million dollars on a brand new Capitol Hill Visitors center that was $360 million over budget and three years late.If California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wishes to run for Barbara Boxer’s California U.S. Senate seat he will have to get a move on it. Yesterday, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore announced a plethora of Republican elected backers, including 26 of the the current 29 GOP members of the California Assembly.
The Assembly and Senate endorsers:
Assembly (not including DeVore himself)
- Mike Villines
- Anthony Adams
- Joel Anderson
- Bill Berryhill
- Tom Berryhill
- Sam Blakeslee
- Connie Conway
- Paul Cook
- Mike Duvall
- Bill Emmerson
- Jean Fuller
- Ted Gaines
- Martin Garrick
- Danny Gilmore
- Curt Hagman
- Diane Harkey
- Kevin Jeffries
- Stephen Knight
- Jeff Miller
- Dan Logue
- Brian Nestande
- Jim Nielsen
- Cameron Smyth
- Audra Strickland
- Van Tran
Senate (6)- Jeff Denham
- Bob Dutton
- Bob Huff
- George Runner
- Mimi Walters
- Mark Wyland
Of course Arnold can spend unlimited amounts of his own money on media and raise tons more as California Governor but DeVore is pushing the California budget embattled Governor to either fish or cut bait in this race.
Will Arnold show his hand soon?
How about new California resident Mitt Romney or Meg Whitman?
Stay tuned…
Technorati Tags: Chuck DeVore, Barbara Boxer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman
-
Meg Whitman Stumps in the California Capitol for Governor But Shouldn’t She Run for U.S. Senate?
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, flanked by adviser Meg Whitman, left, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks at an economic roundtable, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008, in New York
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?
Technorati Tags: Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner
-
Meg Whitman Apparently A Go for California Governor Race
Meg Whitman, formerly President and CEO of eBay
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.
Technorati Tags: Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner
-
Jerry Brown to Run for California Governor in 2010 But Worried About Dianne Feinstein?
Former California Governors Jerry Brown, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson and Gray Davis
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……
Technorati Tags: Jerry Brown, Steve Poizner, Meg Whitman
-
Steve Poizner Countdown for California Governor in 2010 – 547 Days
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.
Technorati Tags: Steve Poizner, Meg Whitman
-
Mitt Romney’s Political Future is in California
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., flanked by former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman, left, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, makes a statement on the economy after an economic roundtable in Cleveland, Ohio, Octoober 27, 2008.
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.
Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, Meg Whitman
-
Meg Whitman Vs. Senator Dianne Feinstein for California Governor in 2010?
Meg Whitman, formerly President and CEO of eBay
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…….
Technorati Tags: Meg Whitman, Dianne Feinstein, Jerry Brown, Steve Poizner, Tom Campbell, Mitt Romney