Click on continue reading for details.

Click here for my interview with Tom Campbell.

State Senator Tony Strickland has endorsed Meg Whitman and conservative political activist Steve Frank is working for Steve Poizner. I doubt that Peter Foy is really planning to run, but I am sure he likes people discussing the rumor that he might do it.

Who do you want to win the Republican nomination?

I will be interviewing Tom Campbell tonight starting at 6:15PM.

The interview is done. Click on continue reading to see Tom Campbell's answers to my questions. Leave a comment with your opinion on the issues I brought up, his answers, of the campaign for governor. We had originally scheduled this for another date, but something came up in Tom Campbell's schedule and he was able to do it tonight. I have a bunch of entries to catch up with but interviewing someone I admire took precedent.

I am not sure who I will support for governor in 2010. I would be inclined to support a Democrat but if none of them offer up a platform that addresses our current problems and is innovative in their solutions I might support Tom Campbell. His depth of understanding of the issues impresses me. But with so much time between now and the next election we have the luxury of sitting back and analyzing the arguments the candidates put forth.

Click here for his biography on Wikipedia.

Click here for his official website.

Tom and I will be posting on the comments section of this post. To follow along click on continue reading.

Tom, thanks for taking time out of your schedule to answer questions. I have admired your distinguished career and eclectic mix of policy views for years. Your background in law, economics, and as a legislator is a background I would welcome in a governor.

Your recent editorial in Reason Magazine triggered my request for this interview. Which brings me to my first questions:

What magazines, blogs, or radio shows do you follow?

What were some of the most recent books that you have read related to economics, politics, or history?

What authors or books created such an impression on you that you want to recommend them to younger people just starting to form their political ideology?

The new year has just started but the campaign for the nominations of their party to be governor have already begun. I don't know who I will eventually vote for but I am trying to keep an open mind. I want a candidate that has serious solutions for our budget. A candidate that strongly supports public schools ( including charter schools ) but has ideas on how to reform education, and is in favor of gay rights.

I most often vote for Democratic candidates for statewide offices, but I am willing to wait to see more arguments put forth by the campaigns. On the Democratic side I don't know who I will support in the primaries.

I think Gavin Newsom could be turned into a single issue candidate, whether he likes it or not, even though the door's wide open now for his party's nomination. Time will tell if he is able to expand the issues he is known for.

Jerry Brown has supported innovative ideas in the past including unique charter schools and environmental protection plans. He has the year's of public service that can help or could lead to a few quotes being played over and over. As a younger voter I don't think only of his previous terms of governor when his name is brought up, but instead to his run for the presidency in 1992, his time as mayor of Oakland, and his current office of Attorney General. I know my older Republican friends have a visceral reaction to him but what do the rest of you think? Check out his website and let me know.

It shouldn't matter in voting, but I don't care much for his website. The organizing tools are great but the color scheme and layout seem archaic. I am sure if he gets closer to the nomination there will be a complete revision but it seems dated as of now. By the way, I know he is constitutionally allowed to run again but it does seem odd, no?

Jerry Brown also left the Democratic Party to become DTS, which I don't think will matter much except to build the case he is a different type of politician.

The danger in supporting Jerry Brown is having to defend a decades long record that includes so much controversy. The same is true for most politicians that have been in public service for a few generations.

( John Garamendi with former State Assembly candidate Carole Lutness. Makes me wonder how much the other candidates have worked to support Democratic candidates across California.)

John Garamendi is a work horse candidate in this election. He has been involved in state politics since he was elected to the state assembly in 1974. I expect he has the early lead for the nomination because of his support for Democratic candidates, his decent name ID ( without caricatures like Jerry Brown has from his time as governor), and the fact his website already offers free campaign material.

Seriously, campaign material already being sent out for free? I just took down my No on Proposition 8 sign and my Barack Obama signs. My magnetic bumper stickers supporting Barack Obama came off in November. Are people really going to be putting up stuff already? I guess so and I am impressed, although fatigued, that people are campaigning this early.

( Jack O'Conell's Back to School message.)

Jack O'Conell is mentioned as a potential candidate by many people but his only official website I found is from his 2006 re-election campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction. I have met Jack O'Conell before and he comes across as very down to earth. He is goofy and serious at the same time. He could find support because of his appearance in an ad against Proposition 8, but it wouldn't be the center of his public persona for voters.

With education being the largest expenditure in the state budget, his background could help propel him past his other candidates. But is he really going to run?

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner is getting many endorsements from elected Republican leaders for the 2010 Republican nomination for governor. I don't know many of his positions and I don't know ideologically what type of Republican he is exactly. His tenure as Insurance Commissioner hasn't drawn much public scrutiny , which is normally a compliment. He also won state wide, which is something few Republicans can claim.

He already has a campaign staff, website, Facebook account, and regular email updates going out. His staff is quick too. I asked them about a fact they used on his website and I had an answer in a few hours. Thanks!

I am interested to see if he will position himself as the conservative candidate and align himself with many of their slogans, consultants, and positions.

He said he opposes same sex marriage but that he is pro-choice. I find that an odd mix. Are any of you pro-choice but against marriage equality?

Click on continue reading for a recent email he has sent out.

Tom Campbell has been a long time favorite of libertarian Republicans in California. He has liberal social positions and has the opportunity to appeal to the Ron Paul supporters in California.

Campbell served in the State Senate and the US House of Representatives but has been out of elected office for a few years. His support for the impeachment of Bill Clinton could rally Democrats against him.

He has consistently challenged and critiqued the right wing of his party. That makes me like him more, at least in the primaries.

Click here for his website.

Click here for his argument against Proposition 8 published on Reason Magazine's website.

( Meg Whitman helping raise money for Mitt Romney.)

She doesn't have a website up but she supported Mitt Romney, then flipped to John McCain, and she was in Support of Proposition 8. Steve Schmidt of the McCain campaign is working for her as she prepares to run for governor.

Click here for an article that explains in detail why Republican primary voters might or might not support her.

Because she didn't vote in a bunch of elections, she only recently became a Republican, and she has given large amounts of money to Democrats will give openings to her Republican Party primary candidates.

She is worth over a billion dollars ( but that was calculated before the economic slowdown) and would be able to self fund her campaign. If someone worth a billion dollars asks you for a donation would you be less likely to give them money?