Carly Fiorina Barbara Boxer: Carly Fiorina Chuck DeVore: How conservative is Carly Fiorina?

Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, announced today she will run in the California primary against Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, to face Senator Barbara Boxer in the 2010 senatorial race. The question is: how conservative is Carly Fiorina? See two videos below.

Carly Fiorina

If Fiorina (R-CA) wins the primary against conservative Assemblyman Chuck DeVore in June, she will make history if she unseats Boxer.

Barbara Boxer

Both women are controversial. An online news source, Mercury News, describes them:

...Boxer has stood out with a scrappy — some say abrasive — political style. Although her defenders say the senator has a warm, grandmotherly side that's often overlooked, the reality is that her poll numbers rarely have topped 50 percent since she joined the Senate 17 years ago.

Fiorina's outsized persona and aggressive management moves at HP likewise have drawn admirers and critics. She carries a commanding stage presence, holding forth in public appearances and media interviews in a manner that suggests a keen analytical mind. 

"Clearly Barbara Boxer is a very energetic and aggressive campaigner, but she hasn't had to face anyone who matches her intensity on the stump," said Republican strategist Adam Mendelsohn. "Having someone who matches her in that arena could prove to be a lot more challenging."

Both women are wealthy. Boxer (69) is estimated to have a net worth of between $1.2 and $5.3 million in 2008. Carly Fiorina's (55) net worth is alluding me somewhere on the web, but  in 2005 she received a $21 million severance from Hewlett Packard, plus "at least $200,000 a year compensation" not included in the severance package. In the 2008 presidential election, Carly Fiorina was an economic advisor to John McCain. Her career has spanned from secretarial and receptionist jobs, including a temporary employee at Hewlett-Packard, to Boards of Directors and CEO positions. Fiorina was the first woman to lead a Fortune 20 company, and the first woman to head a Dow 30 company. Assemblyman Chuck Devore made headlines as a principled conservative in February. He resigned his position as Chief Republican Whip in opposition to "a massive tax increase deal brokered by Republican legislative leaders."

The St. Valentine's Day deal to raise taxes on hardworking Californians will neither close the budget deficit nor control spending. I believe leadership thinks they are doing the right thing - but I cannot be a party to this agreement as I believe it will harm California."

Read the letter Assemblyman DeVore wrote to the Republican Assembly leader, Mike Villines here. In the first video below, George Stephanopoulous interviews Carly Fiorina about eliminating tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. In the second, Senator Barbara Boxer, the arrogant elitist instructs Brigadier General Michael Walsh to call her "Senator." It appears California conservatives may actually have two committed conservatives to chose from, Chuck DeVore and Carly Fiorina. How conservative is Carly Fiorina? We should be hearing a lot about that now.  Carly Fiorina and George Stephanopoulous on Tax Breaks  

Bored Barbara Boxer admonishes a Brigadier General