Posted on 02/09/2009 10:39:08 PM PST by nickcarraway
Former eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman officially launched her bid to seek the Republican nomination for California governor on Monday, capping a yearlong tour on the political stage after leaving her high-profile Silicon Valley post. Watch Video
Meg Whitman, the former head of eBay, announced her candidacy for California governor in an on-line message Monday.
The 52-year-old political neophyte began testing her affinity for politics after leaving a 10-year stint with the online auction site last January. She served as finance chairwoman for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and then as a national co-chair of John McCain's.
"California faces challenges unlike any other time in its history -- a weak and faltering economy, massive job losses and an exploding state budget deficit," Whitman said in a statement on her Web site. "California is better than this, and I refuse to stand by and watch it fail."
Whitman was not available for interviews Monday, said her spokesman, Mitch Zak.
Whitman will face Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, another wealthy former Silicon Valley executive, and former Rep. Tom Campbell, in the Republican primary in June 2010.
Whichever candidate emerges from the GOP field will face a stiff challenge in the 2010 general election as the party continues to lose voters. Republicans accounted for 31.4 percent of registered voters last November, a slide of more than 3 percentage points since the 2004 elections. The party, which has grown more conservative in recent years as California voters have become more centrist, has been shedding voters for more than a decade as the ranks of independents in California has grown.
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Former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson, who will serve as Whitman's campaign chairman, said the party needs a compelling candidate like Whitman to revive itself.
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Might as well run for Governor. Bwaney Fwank wants to cap all CEO pay.
From what I hear, she’s a RINO, but sadly only a RINO could win in CA for Republicans.
She was for Prop 8, which most of them aren’t.
Conservative? Sure could have fooled me.
/johnny
Well a RINO’s won the last two elections in CA.
Well, she can’t possibly be worse than our current RINO. Although I do wonder about the sanity of anyone who wants to be Governor of the state after the train wreck that was Arnold.
“She was for Prop 8, which most of them aren’t.”
Half a loaf is better than none. That will get her my vote. Onward and upward.
I’m willing to give her a shot if there isn’t a better Republican candidate. She obviously has a lot of smarts. I know she’s got at least 40 IQ points on Arnold. She is also wealthier. At this stage she may be the best we can do. I’d like Tom McClintock but I don’t know if he will run. We could do a lot worse than Whitman.
Interesting. Thanks for posting.
She couldn’t possibly be worse. Do it Meg!
Primary opponent Tom Campbell, however, is a hopelessly pathetic homo-pandering, abortion loving uber-RINO. I will vote third party if he wins the nomination.
The current CA electorate is a coalition of illegal aliens, degenerates, and welfare queens. Given that, no conservative can possibly be elected CA governor.
Congressman Tom McClintock is, unfortunately, not electable for a statewide office. I'm glad he's in the House, and he might eventually make an impact there, so I hope he stays put.
McClintock’s no longer interested?
This should make for a good fight
In 2003, Wilson was co-chair of the campaign of Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace Gray Davis as governor of California.
Wilson recruited Schwarzenegger and it’s my bet he recruited Whitman.
I’ve got to words for Pete Wilson. No thanks! He ushered in the worst governor the state has ever had.
Meg Whitman officially launched her bid to seek the Republican nomination for California governor on Monday... The 52-year-old political neophyte... served as finance chairwoman for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and then as a national co-chair of John McCain's... will face Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, another wealthy former Silicon Valley executive, and former Rep. Tom Campbell, in the Republican primary in June 2010... Republicans accounted for 31.4 percent of registered voters last November, a slide of more than 3 percentage points since the 2004 elections. The party, which has grown more conservative in recent years as California voters have become more centrist, has been shedding voters for more than a decade as the ranks of independents in California has grown.Horse-pucky. California hasn't grown more "independent" or "centrist" -- it's moving to the right, but the left is growing ever more leftist. IOW, they're about eight or ten years behind the country.
Meg can expect a strong backing from the lunatic green fringe, from what I’ve read. She respects a woman’s right to choose. She supports the H1-B visa immigrants, even while our nation is melting down.
No thanks.
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