Wealthy businesswomen energize Calif. GOP voters

By JULIET WILLIAMS Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Republican primary season marked by a blistering campaign spending spree comes to an end with two wealthy businesswomen poised to make history for the GOP.

Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina have become the front-runners to lead the Republican Party this fall. If the most recent polls hold, it would be the first time the party would have put a woman - much less two - at the top of its ticket in the nation's most populous state.

Both have built wide leads over their challengers, in large part because of spending from their personal fortunes.

Republicans hope the anti-incumbent mood that has swept the nation will help them defeat Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown in November.