Posted on 05/23/2005 6:19:00 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Democratic state Controller Steve Westly has written a $10 million check to his gubernatorial campaign account, the clearest signal yet that he intends to mount an aggressive effort to unseat Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger next year.
With that single donation, the multimillionaire former executive at the online auction house eBay has established a campaign war chest nearly as deep as that of state Treasurer Phil Angelides, the only Democrat to formally declare his candidacy. It essentially puts to rest any question about whether Westly will enter the governor's race.
"He's in," Westly campaign manager Jude Barry said. "Steve's candidacy means Democrats have a real choice. We have the resources to win and to be competitive against Arnold."
A formal campaign announcement is expected in mid-June. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election next year.
Westly has made 11 campaign stops up and down the state since announcing at the state Democratic Party convention last month that he was forming an exploratory committee. The appearances, which his campaign has dubbed conversations with Californians, have included a speech at the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, an appearance at a Silicon Valley business round-table and a meeting with pipe fitters in Anaheim.
Westly, 47, is a longtime Democratic Party activist who narrowly captured the controller's office in 2002. He saw his profile rise substantially last year when he joined forces with Schwarzenegger to promote a $15 billion bond measure aimed at slashing the state's deficit. At the time, Westly's endorsement lent bipartisan credibility to the initiative and was considered vital in persuading skeptical Democrats to support it.
Since then, he has soured on Schwarzenegger, saying the governor has become too conservative and too combative in his dealings with the Democrat-controlled Legislature. But his high-profile collaboration with Schwarzenegger on the bond measure could prove a liability among many Democratic primary voters.
While refraining from any direct attacks on Westly, Angelides frequently reminds voters that he has been a Schwarzenegger antagonist since the actor took office after the 2003 recall of former Gov. Gray Davis.
"Voters know what Phil Angelides stands for," Angelides spokesman Brian Brokaw said. "He's been consistent in his beliefs and has consistently stood up to this governor, who has broken the promises on which he campaigned."
For his part, Schwarzenegger campaign strategist Mike Murphy also predicted that Westly's pairing with Schwarzenegger would make him vulnerable in a matchup against Angelides.
"If I'm Angelides, I'm going to say, pick a side. You were with Arnold last year; you're with us this time," Murphy told reporters last week. "I think Angelides will be the nominee. And if Arnold runs, he'll beat him like a slow mule."
Film director Rob Reiner and actor Warren Beatty also have been mentioned as potential candidates for the Democratic nomination to challenge Schwarzenegger. Neither has ruled out the possibility, but there is little evidence that either is laying the groundwork for a campaign.
Reiner is focusing his political energies on a 2006 ballot measure to provide universal preschool to California children, spokesman Ben Austin said.
"We are going full-bore on the preschool initiative," he said.
On Saturday, Beatty attacked Schwarzenegger during a graduation speech at the University of California, Berkeley. He said that while he doesn't want to be governor, he thinks he could do a better job than Schwarzenegger and that there are other Democrats who would be better still.
another democrat gov + the same democrat assembly = the death of california.
He's probably trying to get a bump from the LA Mayoral election.
Naaah.
Democrats- the party of the rich.
Well, I'll be outta here by the time he can do any damage anyway.
This is the pretty boy that danced around the state and did commercials with Arnold selling us on $15 Billion in bonds!
He must be the "selected one". ;-)
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