Bill Simon

Bill Simon is an American businessman and politician.

In 2002, Simon campaigned unsuccessfully for Governor of California.

Billed as a "conservative Republican", the virtually unknown Simon's campaign was significantly boosted by support from better-known Republican officeholders from out of state, including President George W. Bush and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. He won the Republican candidacy in the primary election of March 2002, in large part because the incumbent Governor, Gray Davis, launched a preemptive campaign against Simon's major primary opponent, former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan[?], whom Davis considered a more formidable opponent.

Davis's campaign advertisements made heavy use of scandals relating to alleged mismanagement of Simon's business and charities, though one of the major court rulings unfavorable to Simon was since overturned. Simon's campaign centered largely on allegations of corruption in the incumbent's administration and Davis's handling of the 2000 energy crisis.

Davis defeated Simon by a suprisingly small margin of approximately 48% of the votes to 42% for Simon.