Would-Be GOP Successors Flee the Governator

Says California can't afford another novice like Schwarzenegger

(NEWSER) - Jerry Brown entered the race for California governor today, vowing to use his experience as a former two-term governor to "get California working again." Brown, a Democrat and current attorney general, used the unpopularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger to criticize Republican candidate Meg Whitman. Like Schwarzenegger before her, the former eBay CEO is running as an outsider to politics, notes the Los Angeles Times . More»

Silicon Valley vet Steve Poizner preparing to take on Whitman in GOP primary

(NEWSER) - Ex-eBay boss Meg Whitman is the early favorite to win the GOP nomination for California governor but another tech billionaire is looking like an increasingly serious contender, the Wall Street Journal reports. Silicon Valley veteran Steven Poizner is currently third, behind former Congressman Tom Campbell, but his pockets are much deeper than Campbell's and analysts predict Poizner will surge in the polls when he starts splashing out on ads. More»

Gov defends stance amid standoff

(NEWSER) - Tensions are soaring in California as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger faces off against Democratic lawmakers in the state’s budget crisis. But the governator is keeping calm as he defends his position, the Financial Times reports. He’s calling for welfare reform before he’ll sign off on a budget, but Dems say now’s not the time. “If you can’t get them to cut down the costs of government when the state is facing such a financial crisis, then it’s never going to happen,” said Schwarzenegger. More»

(NEWSER) - Sure, California's going through a little financial Armageddon, but that's not keeping candidates from lining up to replace Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is prevented by term limits from running in 2010. In the New York Times magazine, Mark Leibovitch takes a look at the eclectic field, which includes Jerry Brown ("yes, that Jerry Brown"), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ("political thrill-seeker"), and former eBay chief Meg Whitman (who promises to provide "adult supervision" for once). More»

Outgoing gov must convince Calif. voters to endorse budget fixes

(NEWSER) - Deep into Arnold Schwarzenegger's second term, the novelty of holding political office has given way to the hard realities of governing, the New York Times reports. In the eyes of his constituents, too, the Governator’s celebrity sheen has faded, enough that Schwarzenegger is worried about the passage of several ballot initiatives he has proposed to fill critical gaps in California’s budget. More»