Meg Whitman won the Republican nomination at approximately 8:38 p.m.
It's been a campaign defined by mud-slinging and money-spending. /*Steve Poizner*/ and /*Meg Whitman*/ have waged all-out political war in a battle to win the Republican nomination for governor.
"I voted for Meg Whitman. I just think that during these difficult times, I think she's the one that, when this primary is over with, will be able to bring people together, and we can move this great state forward," said Lt. Gov. /*Abel Maldonado*/.
Maldonado said he did not know if Schwarzenegger also voted for Whitman, who had been leading in the polls.
Schwarzenegger has not publicly endorsed either of the GOP candidates hoping to succeed him. When asked which candidate he voted for, he avoided the question.
Whitman is a former chief executive officer of eBay and has spent $71 million of her own money on her campaign. She voted by mail and hopes to become the first woman to lead California.
She favors cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants and opposes amnesty. She wants to reform welfare and control state spending.
Her opponent, state Insurance Commissioner /*Steve Poizner*/, cast his ballot in Santa Clara. He is currently the insurance commissioner and also has a business background. Poizner has billed himself as the conservative choice in the race. He's pitched in $25 million of his own money in hopes of defeating Whitman.
Poizner wants to cut taxes to create jobs and reduce state spending by 10 percent in two years. He supports cutting taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants.
Whitman will meet Attorney General /*Jerry Brown*/ in November's general election. Brown voted in Oakland Tuesday. Brown says he knows what it takes to get California back on track.
Brown served as California's governor from 1975 to 1983. He was also mayor of Oakland. He faced little opposition within the Democratic Party.
"We're going through a real period of trial and certainly I feel I'm ready for that. I think the people are ready. And over the next several months we're going to discuss just what is entailed by leading this state and what are our prospects, and what are the solutions that we have to adopt," said Brown.
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