Former eBay Inc CEO Meg Whitman made her first step towards running for California governor in 2010. The high-profile Silicon Valley technology executive launched an exploratory committee to seek the Republican nomination.

This move allows Whiteman to raise funds for her future campaign. Although California, Americas most populous state, is known for its liberal, social ways, it also has a strong socially conservative element and has elected several Republican governors so far.

Mrs. Meg Whitman has been quite active in politics lately. Since leaving eBay in early 2008, the 52-year-old served as finance chairwoman for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and then as a national co-chair of John McCain's.

In a statement on her Web site, Mrs. Whitman said California is facing challenges “unlike any other in its history.” The state struggles to cope with a crumbling economy, a high unemployment rate and a soaring state budget deficit ($40 billion budget gap over a year a half).

"California is better than this, and I refuse to stand by and watch it fail," said Whitman.

Former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson, Whitman’s campaign chairman, backed the former eBay executive and said that she is just what the Republican Party needs to revive itself after McCain suffered a heavy loss against Obama right in California. The current U.S. President then beat McCain by 24 percentage points, the heaviest loss in the state’s history since the World War II.

Meg Whitman played a key role in turning eBay from a start-up to a behemoth online auctioneer.