Whitman’s confidence, energy high after two years on the trail

Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman zipped around Southern California on Monday, telling her volunteers that their efforts would push her to victory on election day.

“So are you ready to get California moving again? I’m ready, are you?” she asked dozens gathered at a phone bank in a Woodland Hills strip mall. “This is exciting and I want to thank you for everything you are doing. Whose hands is this election in? Yours. … We are going to win this because we’re going to turn out the vote.”

The former EBay chief and billionaire who has spent more than $140 million of her own money on her effort showed no signs of wear, despite campaigning for nearly two years. Frequently flashing a broad smile and chuckling, Whitman predicted victory on Tuesday, and dismissed pundits and polls suggesting otherwise.

“The only poll that matters is tomorrow,” she said. “We’re going to battle it out til the end.”

She said there would be “some surprised folks” after the ballots are tallied.

More than 40,000 volunteers had already made millions of phone calls, Whitman said as she forecast victory for the entire GOP ticket.

“Thank you for what you have done for me, for California, for the rest of the ticket,” she said. “You have made an enormous difference because how are elections won? They are won by people filling out absentee ballots for you and going to the polls.”

After leading the crowd in chants of “We are ready!” the candidate called voters, most of the time leaving voicemail messages reminding voters of their polling places. But she did surprise one voter.

“Marcus? It’s Meg Whitman calling. No, it’s me,” she said, laughing. “It really is Meg Whitman. Yes, I’m here in the Woodland Hills office.”

As she placed calls in Costa Mesa, a volunteer held up an iPhone to snap a picture and yelled “Ms. Governor.”

Whitman instantly looked up.

“See, I answered,” she said. “That was a test, I knew that.”

seema.mehta@latimes.com