Poizner opens exploratory committee for 2010 gubernatorial run

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced his opening of a 2010 exploratory bid for governor Monday, immediately putting him in the front tier of Republicans to replace Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Poizner, rumored to be interested in running for the job for months, said in a campaign announcement that his campaign would focus on fostering innovation in government and business.

"Today, we no longer face competition from only our neighboring states; we also face challenges from competitor nations like China and India," Poizner said in a statement. "If California is to remain a world leader, it is imperative that we take bold steps to meet the challenges posed by a rapidly changing and increasingly complex global economy."

Poizner, an independently wealthy entrepreneur from Silicon Valley before he ran for Insurance Commissioner in 2006, is the highest-ranking Republican in the state outside of Schwarzenegger, who is termed out in 2010.

Many believe Poizner announced his likely candidacy now to head off other possible GOP rivals. Former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell (R-San Jose) has also formed an exploratory bid, and former EBay CEO Meg Whitman is also rumored to be interested in the position.

Several Democrats are also jockeying to run, including San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and state Attorney General Edmund "Jerry" Brown, who served as governor in the 1970s and early ‘80s.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, arguably the most popular politician in the state, has said she will consider running for governor if Democrats don't significantly increase their numbers advantage in the Senate this fall.