"Tom Steyer must solve this dilemma: How does he convince financially struggling Californians they can trust a billionaire to be their governor? Because, after all, the former hedge fund titan doesn't exactly share their daily ordeal of scraping up enough money to pay for rent, groceries and gas in the run-down car. And he doesn't have any record in public office to point to."
"Look, they didn't have anything to say, Steyer told me while sipping tea at a popular hangout near the state Capitol, specifically mentioning Whitman and Checchi. They'd never done anything. Not like I've done for 14 years. Why trust me?' Steyer, 68, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, touts his record of funding and promoting progressive causes, including successful ballot campaigns that raised tobacco taxes, closed a major corporate tax loophole and beat back oil industry efforts to kill climate fighting laws."
"I could give you 10 things I've done about environmental sustainability and economic justice, he said. Why trust me? Because I've gotten results. And I don't owe anybody anything. The Democrat spent $12 million on TV ads last year pushing Gov. Gavin Newsom's Proposition 50 that allowed the Legislature to gerrymander congressional districts aimed at gaining five more Democratic seats in California. Being a billionaire allows Steyer to buy all the TV spots he wants."
Tom Steyer faces the challenge of convincing financially struggling Californians to trust a billionaire as governor despite lacking elected experience. Wealth separates him from voters who scrape for rent, groceries and gas. Past wealthy political rookies have sometimes succeeded (Schwarzenegger, Stanford) but many failed (Meg Whitman, Al Checchi). Steyer highlights 14 years of funding and promoting progressive causes, citing ballot wins raising tobacco taxes, closing a corporate tax loophole and resisting oil-industry attacks on climate laws. He spent millions on TV ads including $12 million for Proposition 50 and has spent $27 million on his gubernatorial campaign. Wealth enables ad-buying but carries political costs.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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