Whitman leads in cash for Calif. governor race

(Credit: Megwhitman.com)

California's gubernatorial primary is still 10 months away, but the multimillion-dollar race for campaign cash has already picked up a quick pace, with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman at the front of the pack.

It's no surprise that the billionaire Internet exec, who has never held elected office, has lots of money in the bank to spend on her campaign. According to a tally Saturday, she has some $19 million in cash available--and that's after spending $6.1 million to get her campaign operations up and running. It's also after she contributed first $4 million, then $15 million of her own money to the race.

But for the first half of the year, Whitman, a GOP candidate, also raised $6.7 million in individual campaign contributions, according to press accounts on campaign finance reports posted Friday. Coming in second for individual contributions was Democratic rival Attorney General Jerry Brown, who reportedly raised $3.4 million in individual contributions during the same period.

According to Whitman's campaign, her recent $15 million contribution to the campaign was part of a 3-to-1 match on the first $5 million donated by supporters. Of the $6.7 million she received from individuals, some noteworthy donations include, according to the San Jose Mercury News, $52,000 from Sun Microsystems Chairman Scott McNealy and his wife, and $26,000 from former Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang (who also, incidentally, donated the same amount to Democratic candidate and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom).

Whitman's numbers far outpace those of another Silicon Valley exec in the GOP gubernatorial race, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. Poizner reportedly raised $900,000 in private contributions during the filing period and, after contributing some $3.5 million of his on money to the campaign, has about $3.7 million in cash on hand.

GOP congressman and gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell reportedly raised $305,017 in individual contributions during the first half of the year. Newsom raised $1.6 million.

Of course, having a hefty campaign war chest is important in a state as big and expensive as California, a state facing an unprecedented budget crisis and for which Moody's just gave the country's lowest general obligation debt rating.

[AppleSuxLeo]

If Bartz ran against her we could see a great cat-fight.

[sartor1]

It's too bad that in America, $$$$$$ buys candidates and their campaigns...<br />It would be nice to have campaign races where candidates didn't have to raise<br />such hideously large funds to participate/run in the election.

[peterpulmonary]

the reason is that congress limited the max amount any individual can donate to a compaign, to $2000. this means that either candidates must personally be wealthy, or depend on entities they cannot control to work indirectly for them, without explicitly saying so.

[nicholaslerek]

Meg Whitman will join the long list of losers who tried to buy a statewide election in California. <br /><br />Meg-a-bucks Whitman may possibly outspend all the other candidates of both parties combined, a new low in politics. <br />Why? Because she is the least qualified candidate of either party. If Meg wins, I'm outta here.

[jaguar717]

I'd be curious to hear if you said the same about Barry O, who shattered all spending records with his Chicago-machine funding...<br /><br />I'm guessing not.

[amigosito]

barf

[dbrands]

All we need is another Big Buxx Repugnican. Just like Redford in "The Candidate": They win then ask "What now?"

[catbutt5]

And why on Earth would anyone vote for Meg Whitman? <br />Her male pattern baldness? The fact that she worked at a popular company in its hey-day and clearly earned way too much money for her contribution? No political experience...<br />California doesn't need another millionaire/billionaire Governor who doesn't speak for the people. This isn't a fricken game.

[architeuthisisgod]

with all of the budget crises going on in CA i don't want annother billionaire that the economy doesn't effect. she won't get my vote. i find it verry offensive such a rich person is spending so much on nothing. that money would be better spend on the public school system. 16 million could what, pay at least 320 teachers salaries. completely offensive that the state will never see that money and she wants to be governor.

[LOST2DARKNESS]

Yeah, That's the idea. $16 million more for teachers. The teacher unions. The unions. The democrat base. The base. How base.

[shycelticwitch]

@ LOST... Unions are not perfect by any means, but compared to the Republicans they are angels. Unions are top heavy and only a few at that summit are enjoying any real benefits, if I didn't know better I would say they and the Republican Party are one and the same. "All for one and none for all." should be the GOP slogan.<br /><br />Can anyone tell my why a 1M salary cap would be such a bad thing? Can anyone tell me why one person who works 40 hours a week should have three houses, 5 cars and 2 yachts, yet another who works the same hours (probably more) lives in a tent and rides a bicycle to work? And most likely that employee works for the jerk who has more than he'll ever NEED? <br /><br />Sorry for the cynicism, but I am a middle class American who donates a great deal of time and money helping those less fortunate, even though my take home pay is less than 50K a year, while fat capitalist pigs bloat on our efforts.<br /><br />Obama, please take us back to the 90's... when America belonged to the Americans, and not the corporations....

[josephXY]

For people somehow wary of the politics + media (advertising / campaigning) I would suggest<br />to google a bit with:<br />+political dollars+ <br />Plenty of articles, etc. come up to that including the media (extremely greedy) and their strategies<br />to get as many political dollars as possible. - It's a very interest one gets. What used to be insider<br />knowledge before the internet now is completely open. One could call a political porn. Just needs to get a bit of the attention.

[stockyjoe]

People like Whitman have good ideas because they know how to run a profitable business. The problem is that you cant make it happen in Government because of the circus that is CA politics and a freeloader mentality. Trying to mix efficiency and proper spending in CA would be next to impossible.

[JoeF2]

Running a business is rather different from running a government.<br />For starters, a government is not selling things.

[LOST2DARKNESS]

This is in reply to: JoeF2 <br /><br />The dems have been selling us Socialism for the past 50years. If it were not for businesses ' selling things ' there would be nothing to pay for Socialism. When business is completely bankrupt paying for Socialist ideas, what will the dems sell us then? As ye sow, So shall ye reap. This madness of entitlement will be the destruction of the country.<br /><br /> Ben Franklin once wrote, "When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."

[baconstang]

Here's a business idea for you L2D, clean up the streets by harvesting the homeless for their organs to sell to your rich friends.

[brbubba]

Not to mention eBay was never "successfully" run. Sure it continues to make lots of money, but when you are the only game in town it's not hard. All she ever did was earn eBay the contempt of their entire user base.

[JoeF2]

@L2D:<br />Where did I talk about Dems or Reeps???<br />You need to take off your party glasses.<br />And last I looked, CA has a Republican governor right now...<br />And finally, every party, once in power, "sells Socialism". Case in point: The Bush bailout.<br />Now go back to your party hole, until you have learned to use your brain and don't mindlessly repeat stupid party talking points.

[JoeF2]

@L2D:<br />The Dems may want to sell Socialism, but it is the Republicans who are actually succeeding in selling you Socialism, because of sheep like you.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Bring back GUMBY...JK !

[Tod Smith]

If Whitman doesn't want to loan CA any money for the present crises she won't get my Vote! <br /> <br />Too much SHOW and not enough ACTION.

[baconstang]

Who needs socialism? Or roads, schools, fire fighters, police, water or sewers?

[LOST2DARKNESS]

The lies of the Socialist. <br /> <br />?If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.? <br /> <br />Joseph Goebbles. &lt; He and Hitler were socialist. Never forget that. <br /> <br />To: baconstang: These are NOT entitlements: &gt; roads, schools, fire fighters, police, water or sewers. &lt; Those are services. <br /> <br />I was homeless for 15years. I know first hand what is like to sleep hungry and cold. Don't even presume to know anything about me. Nothing in my posts showed my having no empathy for the indigent.