Money & Politics | Daily Report

Mark Altamero

What? You say you haven't gotten your fill of debates, robocalls, and Two Minutes Hate attack ads that owned the airwaves for two months while the leaves were turning orange? You're in luck: Plenty of politicians seem to agree with you.

About a month removed from one of the more contentious statewide elections in recent memory, upwards of 50 politicians are already looking ahead to 2014, establishing fundraising committees and in some cases already taking in donations.

Headlining that list is none other than the state's newest governor, Jerry Brown, who last weekend raised $45,000 [PDF] for his 2014 committee from two union groups and the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, which typically represents gambling interests.

Other high-profile politicos with an eye toward the future include State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, who, as the Sacramento Bee noted, has his eye on the state controller's office.

That might be a smart move, because former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a Democrat, has his eye on the treasurer's office. Democratic Assemblyman Charles Calderon does, too. And his brother, Ron, a Democratic state senator, has opened a committee for the controller's seat.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Bakersfield Republican and a rising star on the national conservative scene, has a committee established to run for lieutenant governor. He may be facing incumbent Gavin Newsom, who has already established a 2014 committee of his own.

To be clear, establishing a fundraising committee is no guarantee that the candidate will actually run. Sometimes you just need a place to put campaign cash, and a re-election committee is as good a place as any, even if that re-election effort never materializes.

So keep that in mind when you check out the following list: