Why would anyone actually want to be the next governor of California?
Itis probably one of the toughest in jobs in the nation. The nextgovernor will find him or herself neck deep in a fiscal quagmire, acrippling drought, and a worsening recession. Put together, it is asituation worse than the one that led to Gray Davis' recall.
Whilelegislators have hammered out a budget and at least for now stavedoff insolvency, our fiscal problems are not over. The Golden Statehas a deep structural deficit, which will rear its ugly head againnext year around budget time. Whoever the next governor is, he or shewill have to make more tough decisions.
Fora Democrat, this could mean not restoring the funding to the stateuniversity system that was recently cut, getting more concessionsfrom state employees or abandoning long-term environmental projects.For a Republican, this could likely mean letting the some of therecent, temporary tax increases to become permanent, sanctioning theearly release of criminals to save costs in state corrections orpossibly even going back on a no new taxes pledge.
Gov.Schwarzenegger has been forced to compromise on all fronts. The mostrecent budget has slashed education funding, angering Democrats andUnions, while simultaneously irking Republicans with tax increases.The next governor will have to make similar bargains. WouldSchwarzenegger would do it all again given the option? Knowing thathe traded several multi-million dollar movie deals for 8 years offlagellation, would he opt for a redo?
Anumber of high profile candidates are considering running on theRepublican ticket. Businesswoman Meg Whitman has already thrown herhat into the ring, and fellow business woman Carly Fiorina is apossible candidate, although more likely as a candidate for theSenate. Bill Simon, an old guard conservative and former Assemblyman,will likely try again for the governor's mansion after failing to winagainst Gray Davis. Former Representative Tom Campbell and incumbentInsurance Commissioner Steve Poizner round out a very impressivefield.
Manyhigh profile Democrats are also in the mix. San Francisco Mayor,Gavin Newsom, has been angling for governor ever since hisreelection. Lieutenant Gov. John Garamendi is a political veteran andwill be a formidable opponent in the primary. Attorney General JerryBrown has even more political experience, including eight previousyears as governor. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has formed anexploratory committee, although she may also be interested in apossible Senate seat. Although she has not formally announced,Senator Dianne Feinstein led all Democrats in a recent poll with 36percent. Her stature and recognition give her a built-in advantageversus other lesser known potential candidates (for example StateSenator Abel Maldonado's idol, John Chiang).
Thenext governor will have his or her hands full. They are guaranteed adifficult job that will make them enemies on all sides of thepolitical spectrum, which will make seeking their party's nominationfor reelection in 2014 difficult. There is even the possibility ofanother recall campaign. After the past year, why would anyone, savea committed masochist, want to be take on the task of leading thisstate?