Poizner, 51, a wealthy former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, says he is "pro-choice" but would like to reduce the number of abortions and opposes same-sex marriage. He takes a hard line against tax increases, which may appeal to party conservatives displeased with Schwarzenegger's embrace of them.
Poizner said Schwarzenegger had "gotten the reform movement started," but added, "There's a lot of work to be done."
Campbell, 56, spent 10 years in Congress, was briefly Schwarzenegger's finance director and has taught at Stanford University and UC Berkeley. He praised the governor for being "not a partisan man," and said his priority would be creating new jobs and educating young people.
"I am concerned that the next generation of Californians may not be trained adequately," he said.
For Democrats, the question is: Who may be liberal enough to prevail in a primary, yet moderate enough to win a general election? Digging into an omelet at a Denny's in Stockton, near his home in Walnut Grove, Garamendi, 63, said he can win votes in California's "red zones" in his third bid for the post since 1982, even though he is a Democrat. He says he has built a deep knowledge of the state as lieutenant governor, insurance commissioner and lawmaker.
"Climate change, environment, energy policy and healthcare," said Garamendi, who owns a cattle ranch in Calaveras County. "I've worked on these issues for 30 years."
Brown -- who has been telling associates he wants his old job back -- is viewed as formidable by virtue of his family's political dynasty (as the son of Gov. Pat Brown), his tenure as a colorful two-term governor from 1975 through 1982, three attempts to win the presidency and a political resurrection as Oakland mayor a decade ago.
Asked last month which Democrat had the best odds, Schwarzenegger went with Brown, speculating that Feinstein would stay in Washington.
"He has been governor twice before in California, and he has worked his way back up again," the governor told a magazine publisher's group in San Francisco. "And he kind of can reach the Republicans and Democrats and bring different people together."
Poizner "has also a good shot," Schwarzenegger said.
Brown said it was "very premature" to make a decision about running, but he acknowledged that he had picked up the pace of his fundraising.
