Whitman ’77 makes California gubernatorial bid official

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman '77 announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination in the race for California governor early Tuesday in a speech in Fullerton, Calif. Though Whitman has long been considered a leading candidate for the nomination, her speech marked her official entrance into the race. This announcement comes only days before the GOP convention this weekend and more than eight months before votes are cast in the Republican primary.

In her speech, Whitman described her platform, which includes cutting both taxes and state spending, as well as putting a moratorium on the 2006 law signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that aimed to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions.

This is Whitman's first foray into campaign politics on her own behalf, though she has been an adviser to political campaigns in recent years, including Mitt Romney's primary bid and Arizona Sen. John McCain's general election bid in last year's presidential races. Yet in February 2008, Whitman denied any political aspirations in an e-mail to The Daily Princetonian. "I don't see myself running for office," she said.

In Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll from August, 41 percent of those polled gave Whitman a "favorable" or "very favorable" rating, while 30 percent gave her an "unfavorable" or "very unfavorable" rating and 29 percent said they had no opinion. Whitman came in ahead of possible Republican primary rivals Tom Campbell, a former congressman whom 38 percent of participants called "favorable" or "very favorable," and State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, who received "favorable" or "very favorable" ratings from 35 percent of those polled.

Whitman's favorability ratings in the Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll, however, came in lower than those for the two leading Democratic candidates in the governor's race. Attorney General and former California governor Jerry Brown was rated favorably by 48 percent of participants, while 40 percent gave "favorable" or "very favorable" ratings to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

The Republican nominee will already have a tough general-election battle in a state with roughly 2.3 million more registered Democrats than registered Republicans, according to statistics from the website of the office of the California Secretary of State. The state GOP is also reeling from controversies that have arisen during Schwarzenegger's tenure as governor. Whitman's experience at eBay may also prove to be a disadvantage in a climate where big business and corporations are viewed skeptically by many.

Whitman, a Princeton economics major who earned her MBA from Harvard, stepped down as CEO of eBay in 2007. Under her leadership, eBay grew from a company with just 29 employees within the United States to a company with more than 11,000 employees worldwide.

"I believe 10 years is the most time just about any CEO should serve," Whitman said in a 2007 e-mail to The Daily Princetonian about her decision to step down. "A fresh set of eyes is critical to the life of any company."

In December 2008, she resigned from the boards of directors of eBay, Procter & Gamble and DreamWorks SKG, and her resignations sparked wide speculation that she was preparing to run for California governor in 2010. Her resignations were made effective Dec. 31, 2008.

Whitman, a former University trustee, officially joined the Republican Party in 2006.

In 2002, she made a $30 million donation to the University to build the residential college that now bears her name. Whitman College opened in September 2007 and now houses undergraduates from all four years.

Whitman's Princeton legacy includes her two sons, Griff Harsh '09 and Will Harsh '11.