Two leading candidates for governor are coming to town.
Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, a Republican, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, plan to be in Long Beach.
Whitman, 52, is up first. She is expected to speak at a Long Beach Chamber of Commerce event at 11:30 a.m. today at the Hyatt Long Beach, 200 South Pine Ave.
"I just think she's a very unique individual who has been incredibly successful in business," said Randy Gordon, chamber president and CEO. "And her plan to run the state like a business intrigues, and quite frankly, excites me."
About 350 tickets have been sold, Gordon said, adding that the room can accommodate about 110 more diners. Tickets are $45 at the door.
Whitman, who ran eBay from 1998 to 2008, and state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner are considered the frontrunners in the race for the 2010 GOP nomination.
Newsom, 41, plans to serve as grand marshal in Sunday's Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade.
He is widely considered a hero by the gay community for bringing the debate over same-sex marriage to a head by briefly allowing gay unions in San Francisco. The move led to legal challenges and last year's Proposition 8, which the state Supreme Court is still reviewing. He was elected in 2003.
Along with state Attorney General Jerry Brown and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Newsom is considered a leading candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination in 2010.
The parade will take place at 10:30 a.m. Sunday on Ocean Boulevard between Temple and Alamitos avenues.
