The California governor's race begins: follow the money

June 25, 11:52 PMSF Politics ExaminerArthur Bruzzone

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the SF Politics Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Forget those rumors heard earlier this year about Los Angeles Mayor Villlaraigosa's political fatigue. He's back. The politician, who used Caesar Chavez's "Yes, We Can" slogan in his first campaign, fired off the first shot in the 2010 governor's race.  'Yes, we can' raise campaign funds in the City of San Francisco, home of one his chief rivals for the governor's seat, Mayor Gavin Newsom.  True, the fundraiser was for his re-election campaign for LA mayor.

What's noteworthy are those who showed up at the Neiman Marcus rotunda to pay respect to Villaraigosa, and to write checks.  (For this, we have to thank Chronicle reporter Cecila Vega - quickly becoming that paper's top city reporter.) 

First there's Willie Brown. The former San Francisco mayor is famous for his photographic memory, and his political instincts.  Brown never forgot nor has he forgiven Newsom for snubbing him on election night in 2003.  

In an interview on my TV program, when I asked him to critique Mayor Newsom, he said, "He's got to learn to take phone calls."  Apparently the snub continued weeks after the election.  Cardinal rule in California:  Always take Willie Brown's phone calls. Now, it may be pay back time for Newsom:  Willie Brown was a co-chair of the June 24th Villaraigosa fundraiser.

Super fundraiser and lobbyist Darius Anderson also co-chaired the event. Anderson served as Finance Chair to former Governor Davis during his election in 1998 and his re-election in 2002. Anderson's firm. Anderson's Kenwood Investments LLC is the master developer $1 billion economic redevelopment of former Naval Station Treasure Island located in the San Francisco Bay. 

Then there's San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris also listed as a co-chair. She's been a prominent supporter of Barack Obama.  There was talk that Harris might serve as Obama's U.S. Attorney General.  That possibility has waned.  A more likely candidate is former deputy attorney general Eric Holder, the co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign.  So Harris may have set her goals on California attorney general.  As Chronicle reporter Cecilia Vega points out, Harris and Newsom have been at odds over the growing violent crimes in San Francisco (the city is currently on track for a record year of homicides.)  She, unlike Newsom or Villaraigosa, chose wisely to support Obama.  She's hoping that's the case for the 2011 governor's race.

We'll have the full list of donors later this quarter when candidates for Los Angeles municipal offices are required to file campaign disclosure reports.

So it begins.