In the Running for California Governor

Douglas Anderson

Age: 55

Party: Republican

Occupation: Owns mortgage brokerage

Residence: Simi Valley

Family: Married, two children, four grandchildren

Education: Attended El Camino College, 1967-69.

Career Highlights: National Republican Congressional Committee Businessman of the Year, 2003; five-year president, Professional References, a Simi Valley business networking group; planned several fund-raisers, including one for American Cancer Society; adult softball umpire for 18 years; member of Elk and Moose lodges; 12-year member of the National Rifle Assn.

Quote: “I want to control our borders, and stop illegal immigration. We have so many problems ... and it’s because there are too many people in this state.”

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Vip Bhola

Age: 36

Party: Republican

Occupation: Attorney

Residence: Northridge

Family: Married, two children

Education: J.D. from University of La Verne, 1996; attended Cal State Northridge, 1985-1986.

Career Highlights: Litigates civil business and personal injury cases in North Hollywood.

Quote: “Fortunately I have very little political experience. We’ve seen what a lifetime of political experience has brought Gray Davis.”

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Mary “Mary Carey” Cook

Age: 23

Party: Nonpartisan

Occupation: Adult film actress

Residence: Hollywood

Family: Married

Education: Taking college classes through Florida Atlantic University, majoring in theater.

Career Highlights: Appeared on Playboy’s “Totally Busted” and pornographic video series “Mary Carey Rules.”

Quote: “I started out as thinking, ‘This would be funny, why don’t I run?’ But then I discovered I really wanted to do it. I want to show that you can do porn and it doesn’t mean you are stupid. It’s good to show women that they can do these things, that running for governor isn’t just for high-class, older men.”

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Robert “Butch” Dole

Age: 54

Party: Republican

Occupation: Owns small-package delivery service

Residence: San Jose

Family: Married, one son

Education: High school graduate, 1967.

Career Highlights: Marine Corps, 1967-1980; field service engineer until 1990; started own business after being laid off.

Quote: “There are so many things that we need to change and turn around. I’m not rich, and no lobbyists have ever contacted me. I will think for myself, and I know how to make a good decision. Because I’m a small businessman, I’m very frugal. I try not to spend more than I make.”

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Diana Foss

Age: 39

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Homemaker

Residence: San Jose

Family: Married, two children

Education: B.S. in astronomy, 1986, California Institute of Technology; M.S. in astronomy, 1991, University of Arizona.

Career Highlights: Former astronomer and computer programmer; three-year PTA member at River Glen Elementary School, San Jose.

Quote: “I’m pig-biting mad because Darrell Issa thought he could buy the governor’s seat. I don’t want to be governor; I want everyone to vote no on the recall.”

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Ronald J. Friedman

Age: 60

Party: Nonpartisan

Occupation: Physician

Residence: Tarzana

Family: Married, two children

Education: B.A. biology, City College of the City University of New York, 1964; M.D. State University of New York at Buffalo, 1968.

Career Highlights: Worked for the Public Health Service in San Francisco researching bone mineral change in astronauts during their time in space, 1968-71; medical residency at UCLA with specialization in diagnostic radiology, 1971-74; in private practice since 1974.

Quote: “If the people who serve in our government did a good job, I wouldn’t have to run. Our politicians are so enveloped in special interests and in trying to raise millions of dollars that the needs of the common person are not addressed. I’m running to hopefully create an awareness that what the founding fathers meant was to have a government that truly represents us and not just special interests.”

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C. Stephen Henderson

Age: 35

Party: Nonpartisan

Occupation: Teacher of children with reading disabilities

Residence: Carmel Valley

Family: Married, no children

Education: B.A. in history, 1996, Cal State Sacramento.

Career highlights: Taught in Monterey juvenile offender system, 1998-2000; directed AmeriCorps program at Panetta Institute for Public Policy, 2000-01.

Quote: “This election is serious business -- there are serious issues before the citizens of California. It is not about entertainment for the rest of the country.”

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Trek Thunder Kelly

Age: 33

Party: Nonpartisan

Occupation: Artist, owner of Venice logo button business

Residence: Venice Beach

Family: Single

Education: B.A. in international economics and history, 1992, UCLA.

Career Highlights: Student body president, 1988, La Cueva High School, Albuquerque, N.M.; former volunteer, Exceptional Children’s Foundation, Los Angeles; former marketer, Columbia Pictures; and former valet parker, bartender and server.

Quote: “I’m approaching this campaign as an elaborate performance art piece. If they elect me, the people could be electing a piece of art to run the sixth-largest economy in the world.”

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Jerry Kunzman

Age: 39

Party: Nonpartisan

Occupation: Chief executive officer for the National Auto Sport Assn.

Residence: Richmond

Family: Divorced

Education: Attended UC Berkeley.

Career Highlights: Founded Innovative Solutions, a Bay Area networking community; helped build and design call center for a subsidiary of Sprint; chief executive of National Auto Sport Assn. since 1998.

Quote: “I don’t think partisanship works toward solving issues. I think I can solve a lot of the problems in California. I just looked at the candidates and thought I could do a better job. I wouldn’t live in the governor’s mansion, I would drive myself around. We’re going to make cutbacks, and those would start with me.”

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Dennis D. McMahon

Age: 58

Party: Republican

Occupation: Banker

Residence: San Francisco

Family: Married, two children

Education: B.A. in philosophy, 1966, Creighton University in Omaha; MBA 1978, Golden Gate University, San Francisco.

Career highlights: Banker for 30 years, mainly in equipment-lease financing and consumer lending.

Quote: “This is a drastic situation and the central theme of my campaign is a tax revolution. As a conservative Republican, I will strive to balance the budget by reducing spending wherever possible.”

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Ronald Jason Palmieri

Age: 53

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Attorney; president of Joe Blasco Cosmetics Intl.

Residence: Bel Air

Family: Single

Education: B.A. in speech and political science, USC (valedictorian) 1972; attended Georgetown University; J.D. from University of San Fernando Valley School of Law, 1980.

Career highlights: Has represented several major stars, including Cary Grant and Zsa Zsa Gabor; last year won $20-million verdict in Internet fraud case in U.S. District Court.

Quote: “I’m running to urge voters to vote no against the recall. I urge voters not to waste their vote on me but to vote for the best Democratic candidate, who would support a woman’s right to choose and anti-hate- crime legislation and would vote against a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.”

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Bill Prady

Age: 43

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Television writer and producer

Family: Married, one child

Residence: Encino

Education: High school diploma, 1977, Cranbrook School, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Career highlights: Executive producer of NBC’s “Good Morning, Miami” and ABC’s “Dharma & Greg”; writer and producer, HBO’s “Dream On”; Emmy nomination, 1990, outstanding writing -- variety or music program, “The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson”; in-house writer for Jim Henson Productions, 1986-90; wrote “MuppetVision 3-D,” which plays in Disney theme parks, and 1993 special “Presidential Inaugural Celebration for Children,” which featured Mister Rogers interviewing President Clinton.

Quote: “With my TV background, if things go bad, I’m willing to ask the lieutenant governor to resign and ask Don Knotts to step in as the wacky lieutenant governor.”