One candidate in next year's gubernatorial race contributed thousands of dollars to Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and John Kerry.

Another wrote $21,000 in checks to Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and the Democratic National Committee in 2000.

A third was a registered Democrat in the early 1970s and has acknowledged supporting George McGovern as the party's presidential candidate in 1972.

All three – Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner and Tom Campbell – are vying to become California's next governor, but not as Democrats. They constitute the entire GOP gubernatorial field, a fact that has some Republicans wondering where their candidates' loyalties really lie.

It's a pattern that is complicating a Republican primary already unique in offering three social moderates. The candidates have reacted by seeking to sell themselves as the real Republican of the bunch.

Their pitches, however, aren't convincing conservatives such as Jon Fleischman, vice chairman of the state GOP's southern branch and publisher of the FlashReport blog.

"Clearly, it's difficult for a conservative to try to rationalize why this kind of behavior is acceptable," Fleischman said about the campaign contributions. "When it comes to Whitman and Poizner, you have to ask, 'What did they do?' and 'Do you regret what you did?' "

The bipartisan money picture reflects more than just the rise of social moderates, who some say are the only Republicans who can win statewide office in Democrat-heavy California.

The trend also reveals the growing dominance of wealthy, former corporate executives in state politics, said Jack Pitney, a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College.

Whitman is the billionaire former CEO of online auction firm eBay, while Poizner was the head of SnapTrack, which developed mobile phone-based GPS systems.

"It's standard procedure in corporate America," Pitney said. "You hedge your bets. Contributions by corporate executives are not a matter of ideology or principle, but business."

According to state and federal records, Whitman's contributions began flowing in the late 1990s and have largely benefited Republican candidates and committees. Democrats, however, have also received thousands of dollars of her largess.

Whitman gave $4,000 to Boxer in November 2003 and an additional $4,000 to Boxer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that same month, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Whitman also endorsed Boxer in 2003 as a member of the group Technology Leaders for Boxer. In a joint letter publicized by the Boxer campaign, Whitman wrote, "Barbara Boxer is a courageous leader and friend of California's technology industry."

State Republicans view Boxer with particular hostility because of her liberal politics and what's seen as her confrontational style, said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California and a former communications director for Gov. Pete Wilson.

Asked about the Boxer support, Whitman spokesman Tucker Bounds said the former CEO supported politicians friendly to her company, regardless of party affiliation. Boxer, in particular, shared Whitman's opposition to online sales taxes, Bounds said.

"As an executive, Meg was not operating as a partisan but rather as a business leader consulted to support initiatives that were key to the online industry," Bounds said.

Her senior adviser, Henry Gomez, widely seen as a close confidant, is a registered Democrat who gave to GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney but also wrote checks supporting President Barack Obama's election campaign.

Bounds said others on the Whitman team – including the day-to-day campaign manager – are longtime Republican operatives.

"This campaign is supported and managed by stalwart Republicans and conservatives who believe this state needs to step in a new direction of conservative leadership," Bounds said.

Poizner has faced similar questions about his contributions to Gore and the Gore/Lieberman Recount Committee, which funded the Democratic candidate's unsuccessful legal efforts in the aftermath of the 2000 election.

Call Jack Chang, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5543.