2010 governor's race

Despite chatter by Silicon Valley gossip mongers that Meg Whitman could be a contender to take over struggling Internet company Yahoo!, a political adviser to the former EBay CEO said it's just that: chatter.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner got the backing Wednesday of several newly elected legislative Republicans in his bid for governor in 2010, giving him a majority of the GOP lawmakers serving in the next two years overall.

Just-elected Assembly members Bill Berryhill (R-Ceres), Connie Conway (R-Tulare), Danny Gilmore (R-Hanford), Curt Hagman (R-Chino Hills), Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), Jeff Miller (R-Corona) and Brian Nestande (R-Palm Desert) joined nine other assembly members who'd previously endorsed Poizner. Two other assemblymen just elected to new terms, Joel Anderson (R-El Cajon) and Bill Emmerson (R-Redlands) also endorsed Poizner for the first time.

Former EBay CEO Meg Whitman has hired a political relations firm and tapped John McCain campaign advisor Steve Schmidt for a possible 2010 gubernatorial run, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A Times story Monday on the race to replace Arnold Schwarzenegger made note of Whitman's perceived interest in the job, and noted that with a personal wealth estimated as high as $1.7 billion, she might not need to engage in extensive fundraising.

State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner called on California Republicans Thursday to recommit to conservative principles and rebuild its voter outreach and ground operation in order to regain credibility and representation as a party.

Poizner, a probable GOP candidate for governor in 2010, said the losses Republicans suffered Tuesday can be laid at the feet of the party itself more than the media, Democrats or the economy.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner made a public visit Sunday to boost an Assembly candidate in the Bay Area.

Poizner dropped by a phone bank in Pleasanton for Republican Abram Wilson, who's in a tight battle for the 15th Assembly District with Democrat Joan Buchanan.

Carly Fiorina has joined the long list of prominent California Republicans donating to pass the redistricting measure Proposition 11 - and the move also puts her in the company of other possible GOP gubernatorial candidates in 2010.

Fiorina donated $15,000 to the Yes on 11 campaign Tuesday, according to filings with the California Secretary of State.

The slate of California Republican Party designees to the Electoral College vote includes the current governor and two people reportedly eyeing that job in two years.

The party released Friday its list of people who would cast a vote for Republican presidential nominee John McCain in the Electoral College vote on Dec. 15.

Gubernatorial candidate in-waiting Steve Poizner sent an open letter to his party Monday calling on it to register and vote in races up and down the ballot in a month's time.

Poizner, the state insurance commissioner and a probable GOP governor candidate in 2010, said in the letter that anyone who wants to vote on Nov. 4 has to be registered within the next two weeks.

Should they decide to enter the 2010 race for governor, former EBay CEO Meg Whitman and State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner will likely have to explain to Republican voters why in recent years they have donated thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates.

Contribution reports show that Whitman gave former State Controller Steve Westly, with whom she worked at EBay, $20,000 in combined donations for his 2002 run for controller and 2006 campaign for governor. In 2005 she contributed $1,000 to state Sen. Joe Simitian’s 2008 reelection campaign. She made contributions to candidates for national offices as well: $1,000 to U.S. Rep. Mike Honda in 2002, $1,000 to U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell in 2002, $1,000 to U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson in 2006, $2,000 to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2003, and $1,000 to U.S. Sen. John Kerry in 1999.

Unlike Whitman, a political newcomer, Poizner’s record has been vetted in the course of a previous campaign. In his 2006 run for his current seat, Republicans became acquainted with Poizner’s contributions to Democrats, which included $10,000 to the Democratic National Committee in 2000, $1,000 to Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000 and $2,000 to Kerry in 2001.

Outgoing Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and other Democrats will attend Thursday’s May Day immigration and workers marches in downtown Los Angeles in a move broadening Nunez’s Hispanic/liberal voter base.