Attorney General Jerry Brown announced Tuesday he was opening an exploratory committee to run for governor next year, a move that likely surprised no one but allows him to essentially quadruple the amount of campaign cash he can raise.
Despite the e-mailed announcement, Brown senior adviser Steven Glazer said the 71-year-old former governor hadn't decided for certain whether he would run for governor or seek re-election as attorney general.
"Jerry's been pretty clear that he's taking a serious look at the race, but it requires a great deal of thought before he formally declares his candidacy," Glazer said.
Brown formed the committee so that he could collect more campaign contributions from individual donors, Glazer said. State law caps individual donations to gubernatorial candidates at $25,900 per election vs. $6,500 for candidates to other statewide offices, such as attorney general.
"If he chooses to run, it will make his campaign more able to compete against a deep-pocketed opponent," Glazer said.
Early polls have shown Brown leading declared Democratic gubernatorial candidate and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and all three Republican gubernatorial candidates — former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell and state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.
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