Fools Rush In

image
Published: 02 Mar, 2009
Updated: 13 Oct, 2022
2 min read

Why would anyone actually want to be the next governor of California?

Itis probably one of the toughest in jobs in the nation. The nextgovernor will find him or herself neck deep in a fiscal quagmire, acrippling drought, and a worsening recession. Put together, it is asituation worse than the one that led to Gray Davis' recall.

Whilelegislators have hammered out a budget and at least for now stavedoff insolvency, our fiscal problems are not over. The Golden Statehas a deep structural deficit, which will rear its ugly head againnext year around budget time. Whoever the next governor is, he or shewill have to make more tough decisions.

Fora Democrat, this could mean not restoring the funding to the stateuniversity system that was recently cut, getting more concessionsfrom state employees or abandoning long-term environmental projects.For a Republican, this could likely mean letting the some of therecent, temporary tax increases to become permanent, sanctioning theearly release of criminals to save costs in state corrections orpossibly even going back on a no new taxes pledge.

Gov.Schwarzenegger has been forced to compromise on all fronts. The mostrecent budget has slashed education funding, angering Democrats andUnions, while simultaneously irking Republicans with tax increases.The next governor will have to make similar bargains. WouldSchwarzenegger would do it all again given the option? Knowing thathe traded several multi-million dollar movie deals for 8 years offlagellation, would he opt for a redo?

Anumber of high profile candidates are considering running on theRepublican ticket. Businesswoman Meg Whitman has already thrown herhat into the ring, and fellow business woman Carly Fiorina is apossible candidate, although more likely as a candidate for theSenate. Bill Simon, an old guard conservative and former Assemblyman,will likely try again for the governor's mansion after failing to winagainst Gray Davis. Former Representative Tom Campbell and incumbentInsurance Commissioner Steve Poizner round out a very impressivefield.

Manyhigh profile Democrats are also in the mix. San Francisco Mayor,Gavin Newsom, has been angling for governor ever since hisreelection. Lieutenant Gov. John Garamendi is a political veteran andwill be a formidable opponent in the primary. Attorney General JerryBrown has even more political experience, including eight previousyears as governor. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has formed anexploratory committee, although she may also be interested in apossible Senate seat. Although she has not formally announced,Senator Dianne Feinstein led all Democrats in a recent poll with 36percent. Her stature and recognition give her a built-in advantageversus other lesser known potential candidates (for example StateSenator Abel Maldonado's idol, John Chiang).

Thenext governor will have his or her hands full. They are guaranteed adifficult job that will make them enemies on all sides of thepolitical spectrum, which will make seeking their party's nominationfor reelection in 2014 difficult. There is even the possibility ofanother recall campaign. After the past year, why would anyone, savea committed masochist, want to be take on the task of leading thisstate?

IVP Donate

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read