Steve Westly mulls bid for California governor

Steve Westly, a wealthy Silicon Valley investor and former California state controller, met with friends and advisers over the weekend about a potential run for governor in 2018, a spokesman said.

The meeting, which comes more than three years before the election, reflects intense interest among Democrats in a wide-open contest to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown.

“Mr. Westly invited close friends and advisors to his home over the weekend to discuss potentially running for office in 2018,” spokesman Joel Berman said in an email Thursday. “He will make a decision later this year.”

The meeting, first reported by San Jose Inside, comes after Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier this year that he will run for governor. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer and Secretary of State Alex Padilla are among other potential Democratic candidates.

Westly, a former eBay executive, ran for governor in 2006, spending more than $35 million in a losing effort.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 12:01 PM.