Whitman and Poizner Battling Over Bay Area Airwaves

Poizner's Bay Area push could lead to surge in statewide polls

Ballots in California's June primary election have already been cast by mail, but that hasn't stopped the Republican gubernatorial nomination rivals from pouring more money into their campaigns to create and buy more ads around the state.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, running the relatively leaner campaign, put another $2.5 million of his own money into the effort, bringing the total he's personally spent at $21.5 million.

And that money is going towards a new advertising push in the Bay Area, which the campaign had ignored until now. The new ad targets former eBay CEO Meg Whitman's spotty voting record, support for Senator Barbara Boxer, and Whitman's stance on immigration.

Whitman, who has spent almost $65 million of her own money so far, countered with new radio and television ads which say that she opposes Barbara Boxer and amnesty for illegal immigrants. Poizner isn't even mentioned.

However, in a new radio advertisement, Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association that's endorsed Whitman, goes after Poizner for being pro-taxes and against Proposition 13.

Recent public polls show that Poizner is gaining on Whitman, though it's not clear by how much, though gains in the Bay Area against Whitman could leave the pair dead-even.

All of which leaves plenty of time for presumptive Democratic nominee Jerry Brown to get his eyebrows trimmed.

Jackson West has his absentee ballot already, but prefers the democratic bon homie of showing up to the polls.

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