Rosario Marin

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Former U.S. Senate candidate Rosario Marin said she still believes she'll have a speaking role at the Republican National Convention, but she's not sure if she'll speak Wednesday or Thursday.

Marin, a member of the California delegation to the convention, said her speech will focus on the need for ongoing government reform to fit with a theme that presumptive Republican presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain has embraced.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The second night of the Republican National Convention will not include any speakers from California.

Former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin, who heads the state's consumer services agency, was bumped from her speaking spot as a result of the shuffling that took place when Monday's session was shortened and simplified.

A list of Tuesday's speakers released by the Republican National Convention includes President Bush via satellite, former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).

 BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - After a day of donations for hurricane relief and subdued party boosting, the California delegation to the Republican National Convention will get back into business with a normal schedule of activities Tuesday.

On the docket today are a brunch at the Lafayette Club on Lake Minnetonka, and a late-night event at the Nicollet Island Pavilion featuring former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

The Republican National Convention announced an additional round of speakers today -- including two Californians -- for next week's convention in St. Paul.

Prominent California residents will play a large speaking role at the Republican National Convention in two weeks.

A schedule for the Sept. 1 through 4 event in St. Paul, Minn., shows Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger with a prime-time speech on the convention's first night, which has a theme of "Service."

Two well-known former CEOs of high-tech companies, Carly Fiorina of Hewlett-Packard and Meg Whitman of EBay, will speak on Sept. 3, when the theme is "Prosperity."

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.