Can Insurers Buy CA Gov't For $2.2 Million In Tuesday's Primary?

California insurers are poised to send a message in Tuesday's California primary election: Mess with us and we'll spend $2.2 million to end your political career. If the industry's successful, how many politicians will buck it in the future?

The story started when the insurance industry threatened CA Insurance Commissioner Garamendi -- claiming if he approved regulations ending ZIP-code based auto insurance premiums, insurers would spend millions to keep him from becoming Lieutenant Governor. Garamendi did the courageous thing -- issued the rules required under insurance reform Proposition 103, informed the FBI he was being blackmailed -- and insurers opened a committee to villify Garamendi. A poll this weekend showed Garamendi, the front runner for Lt. Gov, has now slipped to #2. This may not be insurers' doing, but the perception will certainly be that it was.

Arrogant insurance companies already rule the state house and capitol hill as though it was their own backyard through the implied threat that enemies of the industry will suffer in future elections. John Garamendi's fate Tuesday could give insurers their quintessential cautionary tale for those who dare to take it on in the future. Prop 103 author Harvey Rosenfield claims that Garamendi's defeat would be an "enormous coup de'tat for the insurers."

California's November ballot is very likely to have an antidote to the poison of insurance industry cash in the political process. The California Nurses Association is poised to to qualify a ballot initiative that takes private campaign contributions out of elections and replaces it with public funds. In addition, independent expenditure committees and ballot measure committees will face strict new restrictions. The quickest way to stop the purchase of govenment is to remove the private industry's cash register from the process.