Democrats are poised to launch an unprecedented three independent expenditure committees over the coming days to take on Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, a billionaire former CEO who's already invested $39 million of her own money in her campaign.
The launch of the committees, as confirmed by sources close to the committees, reflects worries among some Democrats that Attorney General Jerry Brown, who's expected to declare his Democratic candidacy for governor, won't be able to keep up with Whitman, who has already run months of radio ads and a week of television ads.
Labor unions and other big donors are expected to pour at least $20 million into one committee dubbed Level the Playing Field 2010, which will start running television ads against Whitman next week. The committee, which includes Ace Smith, manager of Brown's 2006 attorney general campaign, and former Clinton administration spokesman Chris Lehane, will formally announce its launch on Feb. 17.
Another committee, California Working Families 2010, has a planned budget of $20 million to $30 million, which it has yet to raise. The committee will produce advertising and other campaign material for Brown, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and other Democratic candidates. It includes Democratic consultant Roger Salazar and Larry Grisolano, paid media director for the 2008 Barack Obama campaign.
The third committee, organized by the Democratic Governors Association, is prepared to launch within days.
Brown had $12.1 million in cash on hand at the end of last year, while Whitman had $10.5 million in cash on hand. She gave her campaign another $20 million last month.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner had $17.7 million in cash on hand at the end of last year but badly trails Whitman in polls.
PHOTO CREDIT: Prospective gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman signs a campaign sign for Orangevale resident Audrey Rowland at the Sacramento County Republican Party booth at the State Fair September 3, 2009. Andy Alfaro/Sacramento Bee
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