Six weeks out from the primary vote that will select the challenger to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s re-election, the top two Democratic rivals are slugging it out in a bloody free-for-all. State Treasurer Phil Angelides gathered endorsements from unions, Democratic interest groups, and from elected officials early on in his campaign — trying to create a certain sense of inevitability about his nomination. But his opponent, former E-Bay exec and state Controller Steve Westly, has got the really big bucks — plowing some $22 million of his own fortune into his campaign. Westly has also has a widening lead in the polls.
The race may take a dramatic turn this weekend in Sacramento when the California Democratic Party meets in convention. The once slam-dunk Angelides may be denied the official party endorsement by the surging Westly. Stay tuned for more. I’ll be doing some live blogging from the convention floor.
