Garamendi gets in goveror race

Lt. Gov. John Garamendi became the first candidate to announce he is running for California governor in 2010 by blasting the incumbent Thursday over the state's budget stalemate and declaring that he would raise taxes if elected. Sacramento Bee.

The veteran Democratic politician announced his gubernatorial bid on the west steps of the Capitol, moments before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an order to cut thousands of temporary state jobs and freeze pay of 200,000 workers at $6.55 an hour to help the state pay its bills.

The timing of Garamendi's announcement was no coincidence as he used the state's budget standoff to tout his own credentials as a leader who can direct the California out of a fiscal morass.