The news columns are abuzz with the speculation that a 2010 run for the seat of governor of California is what the former eBay Inc. chief executive Meg Whitman is aspiring for - the 52-year-old Republican has resigned not just from the online auction company, but also two other corporations - Procter & Gamble and Dreamworks Animation SKG.

Though the grounds for the resignations have been cited as "personal reasons and time commitments," Whitman spokesman Henry Gomez said that Whitman "has said before and it's been widely reported that she is considering a run," for the seat to be vacated by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was reelected in 2006, and is not eligible for a third term.

A person familiar with Whitman's plans spoke on the condition of anonymity that her formal statement of intent would be made in about a month's time. According to Forbes magazine, in case she does she jump into the 2010 GOP primary, Whitman - with a net worth of $1.3 billion - would, in all likelihood, confront another very affluent former Silicon Valley high-tech executive, Steve Poizner.

Of late, both the to-be-runners have been working towards enhancing their Republican credentials - while Poizner has beeen traveling around the state to meet with local GOP officials, Whitman had campaigned for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Bill Whalen - a Republican strategist and former speechwriter for ex-Gov. Pete Wilson - noted that both Whitman and Poizner are moderate Republicans with business backgrounds, and "have the ability to write a very large check to their own campaign."