LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: NPR's business news starts with eBay's former chief running for governor.</s>LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: After stepping down as CEO of online auction site eBay, Meg Whitman have advised two Republican presidential candidates. Now she's taking her own plunge into politics. Whitman has just launched a bid for the Republican nomination for California's governor. She hopes her corporate background will appeal to voters who are anxious about the state's economy. The current governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is required by law to step down.
Meg Whitman has taken the first official step toward running for governor of California. The former eBay chief executive has launched an exploratory committee to seek the Republican nomination in 2010. The move allows Whitman to raise campaign funds.