Capitol Alert set out to get all the potential candidates for governor of California in 2010 to declare their positions on the 2008 statewide ballot measures..
Not surprisingly, some politicians were more accommodating than others.
All told, we surveyed eleven political figures whose names are floating as potential 2010 candidates (three Republicans and eight Democrats).
They range from Lt. John Garamendi, who has already announced his candidacy, to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who still faces reelection and has said he does not want to run.
Four of our list of candidates chose not to participate: Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, Attorney General Jerry Brown and Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The positions we report below are the stands they had previously taken publicly.
Read our analysis of some of the most interesting findings among the would-be governors' positions.
Photo: Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner in November2007. Credit: Sacramento Bee/ Brian Baer
Photo: Lt. Gov. John Garamendi announces he is running for governor on the West steps of the Captiol in July 2008. Credit: Renee C. Byer/Sacramento Bee
The Republicans
Rep. Tom Campbell, former congressman
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
No
Proposition 3
No
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No position
Proposition 6
No
Proposition 7
No
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No
Proposition 10
No
Proposition 11
Yes
Proposition 12
Yes
Steve Poizner, state insurance commissioner
Poizner declined to share his positions on any ballot measures he had not already publicly taken a stand on. "He has made his views known on a couple of them," said spokesman Darrel Ng. "The next time voters have to make a decision on Steve Poizner is almost 20 months away and there's plenty of time for voters to get to know him and to get to know his views on the issues."
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 11
Yes
Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay, senior adviser to Sen. John McCain
"Because she is not yet a candidate for governor, we are respectfully declining to participate," said Whitman political adviser Mitch Zak. Whitman has not previously made a broad public announcement about supporting Proposition 8, but she has told GOP groups in the last week she supports the measure.
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 8
Yes
Proposition 11
Yes
The Democrats
Jerry Brown, attorney general
Brown refused to provide positions on any ballot measures other than Proposition 5, which he has publicly opposed. Through a spokeswoman, he declined to comment on why he would not provide any of his positions.
Proposition 5
No
Dianne Feinstein, U.S. senator
Feinstein declined to comment on positions she had not already made public. "More and more ballots are becoming overcrowded and in order for an endorsement to be effective you have to target them," said Feinstein spokesman Gil Duran. "In the cases where she felt there could be a difference made and the issue was something on the front-burner, she took a stand."
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
Yes
Proposition 3
Yes
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 8
No
John Garamendi, lieutenant governor
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
No
Proposition 3
Yes
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 6
No
Proposition 7
No
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No
Proposition 10
No
Proposition 11
No
Proposition 12
Yes
Bill Lockyer, state treasurer
Lockyer, through a spokesman, declined to comment on why he did not take positions on five of the 12 measures.
Proposition 1A
No position
Proposition 2
Yes
Proposition 3:
No position
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 6
No position
Proposition 7
No position
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No position
Proposition 10
No
Proposition 11
Yes
Proposition 12
Yes
Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
Yes
Proposition 3
Yes
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 6
No
Proposition 7
No
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No
Proposition 10
No
Proposition 11
No
Proposition 12
Yes
Jack O'Connell, state superintendent of public instruction
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
Yes
Proposition 3
Yes
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 6
No
Proposition 7
No
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No
Proposition 10
No
Proposition 11
No
Proposition 12
Yes
Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
Yes
Proposition 3
Yes
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No position
Proposition 6
No
Proposition 7
No
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No
Proposition 10
No position
Proposition 11
No position
Proposition 12
Yes
Steve Westly, former state controller
Proposition 1A
Yes
Proposition 2
Yes
Proposition 3
Yes
Proposition 4
No
Proposition 5
No
Proposition 6
No
Proposition 7
No
Proposition 8
No
Proposition 9
No
Proposition 10
No
Proposition 11
Yes
Proposition 12
Yes
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