Al Checchi , a Democratic airline executive and political newcomer , was among the first to declare for the race . Gray Davis also declared around the same time . Congresswoman Jane Harman joined the contest in early April 1998 . In early polling the three candidates were within 12 points of each other , with Davis in last . Harman spent $ 14.4 million in her race for Governor . Checchi spent just under $ 39 million on his campaign . The airline executive 's campaign included numerous ads , one of which included school children trying to pronounce his name and another with his wife speaking Spanish . Checchi did not identify himself as a Democrat in most of his early campaign ads . Harman briefly overtook Checchi in state polls but declined after Checchi launched a series of negative campaign ads against her . Many of Feinstein 's top campaign advisers worked for Harman during the Gubernatorial primary . Harman 's campaign ran a biographical ad of her at the 1960 Democratic National Convention
1960 Democratic National Convention
1960 Democratic National Convention
1998 California gubernatorial election