Consultants for former eBay CEO Meg Whitman's campaign for governor tried, and succeeded, in pressuring former Congressman Tom Campbell's switch from California's GOP gubernatorial primary to the Senate race against Democrat Barbara Boxer, according to the Huffington Post.
That news comes after Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner revealed emails from a Whitman campaign consultant asking Poizner to drop out of the race and implying that in return he would receive support in a Senate run against Dianne Feinstein, California's senior senator and a Democrat, in 2012.
According to the Post, Campbell himself received the help of a top Whitman fundraiser shortly after jumping ship -- suggesting that there is no love lost between Whitman and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, both of whom served to promote Senator John McCain's failed presidential campaign.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Jerry Brown got a $20 million boost from a new political action committee to help his likely general election fight against the personal wealth of Whitman or Poizner.
The latter two were among top personal donors to campaigns not including their own in the last ten years, as Whitman donated $19.6 million to campaigns and committees, with Poizner donating $43.2 million during the decade.
Brown also got some good news on one of the few gaffes in his ongoing non-campaign campaign. An investigation into a campaign aide taping phone calls between the campaign and reporters died on the vine when reporters refused to cooperate, oddly citing state shield law protections for journalists.
Jackson West wishes he could expense a trip to the state's party conventions.
Money Talks and Candidates Walk in Gubernatorial Race
Jerry Brown campaign gets $20 million in help from friends as Whitman accused of throwing her financial weight around
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