Sep
14
2010
If you’re a billionaire CEO running for elected office, the busy post-labor day election season provides a new opportunity for campaign spending. California’s Republican candidate for Governor, Meg Whitman, has spent more than $99 Million on her campaign while Democratic candidate while Jerry Brown has spent a mere $450,000. Ms. Whitman has spent $91 million of her own money to run countless TV ads while her opponent released his first spot only last week, outlining a centerpiece of his platform: “No new taxes without voter approval.” The ad depicts Brown as a fiscal moderate and attempts to place him in the center of California politics. Jerry Brown spent two terms as California’s chief executive from 1975-1983 and appears to be resting on his laurels and showing little pro-activity on the campaign trail. By contrast Meg Whitman is making up for her complete lack of experience in public office by spending immense sums of money. The result of these different campaign styles? The Public Policy Institute of California produced a late august poll with 37 percent favoring Brown and 34 percent favoring Whitman with more than a quarter of Californians still undecided.
GUEST: Robert Cruickshank, Public Policy Director at the Courage Campaign and writes for Calitics.com.
Read Cruickshank’s articles at www.calitics.com.
