Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard is an enthusiastic leader of Steve Poizner’s campaign for Governor. Today the Poizner Campaign released this memo from Leonard to their Grassroots Team…
TO: Poizner Campaign Grassroots Team
FROM: Bill Leonard
RE: The New Race for Governor
DATE: January 14, 2010
The race for Governor of California has shifted dramatically over recent weeks and it is good news for Steve Poizner.
Over the last month alone:
• Steve Poizner contributed $15 million to his campaign demonstrating an unquestioned commitment to winning.
• In a strong show of support, the Poizner campaign raised over $850,000 in December.
• Steve presented a specific plan to close the state’s budget gap by freezing government hiring, spending, and debt.
• Steve picked up the endorsement of prominent conservative Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates.
• Steve also announced that four of the state’s most respected Asian Americans will be leading the Asian Americans for Poizner coalition, including Former State Treasurer and 1998 Republican U.S. Senate nominee Matt Fong, State Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel, Assemblyman Van Tran, and community leader and businesswoman Mei Mei Ho.
This latest announcement that Tom Campbell is switching from the governor’s race to run for U.S. Senate is further positive news for Team Poizner. Tom Campbell was the only candidate in the race that was willing and able to debate Steve Poizner on the issues.
The reality is that while Steve Poizner’s solutions for California were more conservative than Tom Campbell’s, they both share an in-depth understanding of the problems facing California based on their experience in public service. Tom and Steve were both teachers, both were White House Fellows, both oversaw large state agencies, both have ties to Silicon Valley, and both are full of specific policy ideas to improve California.
There can be no question that Steve Poizner now stands alone as the candidate of ideas and specifics in the race to select our next governor. Steve Poizner will bring the perfect mix of private sector success and public sector experience to the Governor’s office and Steve will govern with conservative principles.
The momentum this past month has shifted to Steve’s side. As voters are looking for a open and accessible candidate with detailed solutions for California, there can be no denying that candidate is Steve Poizner. This is now a two-person race between two very different candidates. Campaigns are about choices and as Republican voters focus on their choices for governor, Steve Poizner will emerge as the strongest leader to guide our party to victory.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Puffy is in the building….
January 15th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Meg Whitman, the hothouse flower in the race, would be very wise to come out and defend herself against Poizner. I think a spirited campaign would do both of them a world of good. Whitman has never faced a competitive political race and Poizner has only had to prove he was more trustworthy than Cruz Bustamante to become Insurance Commissioner. They both need some political conditioning.
January 16th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I guess CA gun owners stay home in this election since there’s no pro-gun Republican candidate. Or, we vote for Jerry Brown who at least has demonstrated understanding of the 2nd Amendment thru various recent actions.
Bill Wiese
San Jose CA
January 16th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I guess the solution is to get pro-gun candidates in the state legislature. How about filing to run for state assembly or state senate Mr.Wiese, Democratic Party has huge backlash and who knows you might be serving in Sacramento to make things right for us.
I know there are a lot of pro-gun voters, and I do not want to see us losing this year and demoralizing them would hurt us bad.