Post 16 – California’s Governor Race

Sorry about the big delay between posts to much to do!!

We are over a year from next year’s gubernatorial election here in California.  The State has five major candidates running at the moment.  There was a chance that Lt. Governor John Garamendi would join in but it looks like he is going to win a House seat.

The Democratic primary was shaping up to be a dozy with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, State Attorney General (Fmr, Governor Moonbeam) Jerry Brown, Lt. Governor Garamendi, Steve Westly and at one time, Diane Feinstein (although she would have to be crazy to leave the cozy Senate).  But what are we left with?  Newsom and Brown!?  More later!

The Republicans, not to be outdone, bring to the ballot Insurance Commissioner and rich Silicon Valley dude, Steve Poizner, Fmr. Representative Tom Campbell and the star (and really rich) Meg Whitman of EBay fame. 

Who is the most qualified?  Probably Republican Tom Campbell.  He would be the most refreshing.  His fiscal credentials are the best of the lot but the rest of him is about as exciting as watching paint dry.  His problem is that he can’t raise enough money to compete against the mega-rich Silicon Valley types.  If he could raise money, he might get some interest as he is the only Republican that can win as long as he focuses on the economy, taxes and the budget.  Oh yeah, and he could take Orange County.

Poizner has wanted to become relevant for the last several years in California politics.  He lost an expensive campaign a few years ago to Steve Westly but found a way to start building some political credibility but Insurance Commissioner….well deals with insurance.  The position has proven to be away to reach the top of California politics; just ask the future Representative Garamendi.

On the Democrat side, Mayor Newsom doesn’t have a chance.  He can’t win in SoCal.  (Those SoCal people probably hate being called SoCal.)  His whooping it up a few years ago after San Francisco started allowing same-sex marriages was used effectively in the No on Measure 8 campaign. Oh, he has the money, the looks and the enthusiasm but he’s not ready yet.  His next campaign will be for Senate.  He needs at least one term in the Senate then he will run for president.  If he does it right he could win.  But that is the future.

That leaves two.  Meg Whitman will probably be the Republican candidate just due to her star power in the party and the cash in her pocket.  She is not the best candidate on the Republican ballot (Tom is).  Meg is going to have to come down from the ivory tower and campaign.  She can’t do what Arnold did in the recall election.  She has a real primary to run and won’t be able to dodge the mudslinging.  Additionally, she really seems to be out of touch with the regular guy on the street.

That leaves us with,  Fmr. Governor Jerry Brown.  Jerry is a career politician that has seen the ups and downs in nearly 40 years of being in politics.  I feel that his time as the Mayor of Oakland really opened his eyes to the plight of the local community and the difficulty in trying to provide basic services to everyone.  But he still is a career politician and he was governor once!!!

What a group!  What do you all think?  I’ll try to add a survey to this post.  Let me know who you like.

I’ll give you a week.  Then, I’ll tell you who the winner is going to be.

Have Fun!