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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
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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
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Mitt Romney for California Governor in 2010?
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.
Flap put 2 and 2 together in May and speculated that Mitt Romney purchasing a home in La Jolla was more of a political move than a real estate deal.While John McCain BBQ’s today at the family ranch in Sedona, Arizona and hosts among others Mitt Romney, it is “LEAKED†that Mitt Romney has purchased a home in La Jolla, California.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has reached a deal to buy a home in Southern California.
The unsuccessful Republican presidential contender is closing at the end of the month on a property in La Jolla, just north of San Diego, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom confirmed Saturday.
While California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is term-limited and must leave office after 2010, the spokesman denied any political positioning. Romney finance chairwoman Meg Whitman, the former chief executive of eBay, is also reported to be considering her own campaign for California governor.
“Gov. Romney has been looking at property on the West Coast because he has family in California, and because his wife, Ann, spends a good deal of time there riding horses,†Fehrnstrom said.
One of Romney’s five sons, Matt, lives outside San Diego, while son Josh lives in Salt Lake City.
Well, since that time Mitt Romney was NOT selected by John McCain as his Vice Presidential running mate and according to fellow Ventura County blogger and Sacramento Bureau Chief of the Ventura County Star, Timm Herdt, has turned his political sights to Sacramento.
Although a Romney spokesman said at the time the purchase was based mainly on the family’s desire to spend more time closer to their horses that are boarded in Ventura County, Cole speculated that the former governor of Massachusetts might be thinking of becoming the future governor of California.
The speculation is becoming more intense. Over the last week I’ve heard it raised in Sacramento and from someone in Ventura County. The latter source claims to trace the rumor to eavesdropping by someone who works for the Romney family in a nonpolitical capacity.
The California Republican Party continues in decline under the “FAILED” leadership of SOMETIMES Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold’s post-partisan leadership style and his criticism of California Conservatives has led to a party in disarray. Moreover, Schwarzenegger’s governance of California and particularly its economy has lead to wildly unbalanced budgets and economic malaise in the Golden State.
So, in comes Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor with astounding achievements in the business world and with running the Winter Olympics (saving it from ruin).
What better way to rehabilitate your failed Presidential bid by running and holding another executive political position in the nation’s most populous state? Does Mitt Romney remember that President Ronald Reagan was the former Governor of California?
What are Mitt Romney’s prospects?
Flap thinks very good – at least for the GOP nomination.
Romney has the money to self-fund his own primary campaign, is far more conservative than his opposition, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and has statewide name recognition. Plus, Romney and his Mormon (LDS) supporters have been very active in the California Proposition 8 (Protect Traditional Marriage Constitutional amendment) working with conservative Catholics and Evangelical Christians who comprise a goodly number of GOP primary voters and volunteers.
Now, Mitt Romney could decide to avoid a confrontation with Poizner and run in a “WALK” against California Senator Barbara Boxer in 2010, but, Flap doubts it. Flap bets that Meg Whitman, Mitt Romney’s chief Presidential fundraiser and billionaire former head of e-Bay will run against Boxer. Romney and Whitman will tag team the Democrats in 2010.
How positive is Flap?
Bet the farm…….
Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney, Meg Whitman
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John McCain in California Today
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gives a thumbs up as he drinks a coffee at Cafe Versailles on Tuesday, May 20, 2008, in Miami.
Senator John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee for President has a one day swing through California which began last night with a fundraising event in Orange County.
Today there are stops planned in Union City and Stockton in Northern California.
While in the Bay area, McCain will attend a fundraising luncheon sponsored by ex-e-Bay CEO, Meg Whitman, a former Mitt Romney national fundriaisng chairwoman and aspiring 2012 California Governor candidate.
As McCain moves on to Stockton, he picks up the campaign dollars by attending an event at the home of GOP donor Alex Spanos.
McCain arrives in California today a definite underdog to presumptive Democrat nominee Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The latest PPIC poll (page 10 here) has :
If the general election were held today, likely voters would favor Obama over McCain by 17 points (54% to 37%), an improvement for Obama since March (49% to 40%). Likely voters favor Clinton over McCain by 12 points (51% to 39%), an improvement for her also since March (46% to 43%).
Flap has seen little excitement among California conservatives for the McCain campaign. McCain is a buddy of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who has mismanaged California’s budget, is proposing a disfavored lottery redistribution plan/tax increase and has talked about rebranding the GOP.
Team McCain will come to California to raise the big bucks from the high tech companies and defense contractors who have an interest in preserving good relations with the GOP in the federal government. But, don’t look for McCain to put ANY effort into winning California in the fall. California is a blue state and will not be in play for McCain.