Westly's $10 million donation signals plan to run for governor

BETH FOUHY

Associated Press


SAN FRANCISCO - Democratic state Controller Steve Westly has written a $10 million check to his gubernatorial campaign account, the clearest signal yet that he intends to mount an aggressive effort to unseat Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger next year.

With that single donation, the multimillionaire former executive at the online auction house eBay has established a campaign war chest nearly as deep as that of state Treasurer Phil Angelides, the only Democrat formally to declare his candidacy. It essentially puts to rest any question about whether Westly will enter the governor's race.

"He's in," Westly campaign manager Jude Barry said. "Steve's candidacy means Democrats have a real choice. We have the resources to win and to be competitive against Arnold."

A formal campaign announcement is expected in mid-June. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election next year.

more: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/politics/11723209.htm

That has nothing to do with anything, but I just thought I'd mention it.

Can you California DUers tell me if Angelides or Westly would make the best candidate against Arnold?

I'd sure like to see der Gropenfuhrer out of there.

Nerds are my favorite type but they do not make for winning political candidates.

In California, it's apparentlly style over substance. We need star quality with progressive ideals.

on Wednesday (his office is on the 18th floor, I'm on the 13th). I heard him talking about going somewhere and shaking as many hands as possible. Sounded like a typical politician.

Westly had virtually no support at the CA Dem convention last month. It really looked like the party came together early to get behind Angelides, who has been Arnold's fiercest critic from Day 1. He's extremely smart and has actively courted not only traditional party support, but also the grassroots. He knows he's not terriblly photogenic, but confronts that up front and jokes about it.

Westly did not come across as very polished at the convention, and I'd like to know when he started having a problem with Arnold, because apparently he voted for him in the recall.

We need to stop our bad habit of forming a circular firing squad, and keep our focus on defeating that steroid monkey. We don't need to waste our time on a bruising and expensive primary. We've got Ahnuld on the run and we need to keep our eye on the ball.

...don't be this election's Dem version of Darryl Issa.

If you REALLY want to be a hero, donate the 10 mil to Angelides, who's a very smart and talented guy who should be gov. Get behind the best candidate!

:shrug:

And he acted like his little lap dog early on and helped him sell his borrowing plan, which was NOTHING that Gray Davis wouldn't have done better.

I'm guessing that you can't.

I imagine with Angelides already dug
in with some Dems in CA, coming out
early, Steve had to do something bold.
I'd say he did.

Steve's worked his way up in the CA Dem
party starting from grassroots work. He's
not latecomer or opportunist and he won
enough votes to sit in the Comptroller's
seat.

I think Phil needs some competition in
the primary...let's give Westly a chance.
A lot of Dems voted for Arnold during
the recall...a large reason Davis was
recalled was because of disgruntled
Dems. Arnold at first indicated he wanted
to work with Dems, but as time went on
we saw what a two-faced guy he really was.
I wouldn't fault Westly for just trying
to get some business done in Sacramento,
as all elected officials are trying to
do.

Dems aren't supposed to be so close minded.
Let's prove that true and wait for the race
to really begin. Who knows, maybe some other
actors will feel they can run the government
also.

It's all about Westly's ego. He is no grassroots activist, give me a break.

He kissed Arnold's ass because he thought it was the smart thing to do at the time for his own little political hobby, um, I mean his career.

He comes across as a two faced opportunist. I'll stick with the guy who has some integrity and has held his ground...Angelides.

but nice rant.

Shortly after Schwarzenegger was swept into office in the 2003 recall election, he enlisted Westly as a key Democratic ally in his effort to pass Proposition 57, a $15 billion bond measure aimed at trimming the state's deficit.

"This is the only solution for the state to move out of its financial problems in a practical way," Westly said at a news conference just weeks before the March 2004 vote. He later appeared with Schwarzenegger in several advertisements.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052400173.html

Anyone who was a "key ally" for the steroid monkey, and even collaborated with him in ads to fool the California voters before an election, doesn't deserve to get the Dem nomination for dog catcher, let alone Governor.

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which isn't a crime, but it would give
us some idea of your level of commitment.