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Whitman breaks spending records in campaign for governor
California Republican gubernatorial candidate and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman speaks to the Greater San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce March 18, 2010 in San Jose.
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Whitman breaks spending records in campaign for governor
Whitman breaks spending records in campaign for governor
Republican Meg Whitman is spending more than any other candidate in state history on her campaign for governor.
Campaign finance disclosure records filed with the state indicate that the billionaire former eBay chief has spent close to $50 million in her quest for the Republican nomination for governor.
During the first 11 weeks of the year, Meg Whitman dropped $27 million; $23 million went to Virginia-based Smart Media Group, which describes itself as "an independent media planning, buying and communications agency." Its clients include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and American Airlines.
By contrast, rival Republican Steve Poizner spent $3 million so far in 2010.
Whitman’s poured nearly 40 million of her own dollars into her first campaign for public office – and she’s said she’s willing to spend more than three times that.
Most of her money paid for radio and TV ads – many of them attacks on Poizner. Polls suggest they’ve been effective. Whitman leads Poizner, the state insurance commissioner, by 49 percentage points in the latest Field Poll.
State Attorney General Jerry Brown, who faces no serious opposition for the Democratic nomination for governor, has raised $14 million. So far, he hasn’t spent much of it.
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