SAN FRANCISCO California Treasurer Phil Angelides formally declared yesterday what has been clear for a long time: Hes running for governor in 2006.
The announcement yesterday at a San Francisco school makes Angelides, a Democrat, the first big-name contender to formally throw his hat in the ring. Even incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger hasnt said he wants a second term.
Angelides is finishing his second and, because of term limits, final term as treasurer.
Hes been making campaign-style tours of the state for months to criticize the Republican Schwarzenegger and burnish his appeal to hard-core Democrats likely to vote in next years primary.
Yesterday, he announced that U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi would be honorary campaign co-chairs.
According to state campaign finance documents, the Angelides 2006 committee opened the year with $12.6 million available.
Angelides will need that money to raise his name recognition around the state. According to a Field Poll released in late February, 62% of registered voters surveyed said they had no opinion about Angelides. Only 5% said they had no opinion of Schwarzenegger, and 62% reported a favorable impression of the governor.
The same survey polled those likely to vote in a Democratic primary, and, in a hypothetical race that included actor-director Rob Reiner, Angelides finished third with 12%, behind Reiner with 20% and state Attorney General Bill Lockyer with 15%; 43% were undecided.
Reiner led a successful 1998 ballot measure campaign to raise money for childrens programs. He has not made any recent indications about a run for governor, though hes planning another initiative campaign, for universal preschool, that would keep him in the public eye in a political context.
Lockyer, who is termed out of the attorney generals office, is considered a likely candidate and his Lockyer 2006 committee began the year with $10.9 million.
