Campaign Spending: Trial Lawyers and the Insurance Industry

California's Insurance Commissioner is an elected official who overseas a $124 billion market of automobile, home and life insurance. Federal healthcare reform could provide even more power to Sacramento Democrat Dave Jones or Mike Villines of Fresno. Ten years ago, Republican Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quakenbush was run out of California. After taking $8 million in campaign contributions from the insurance industry, he allowed victims of the Northridge earthquake to get far less than they were entitled to. Jones and Villines, both termed-out assembly members running to be Commissioner, have said they won't take insurance-company money. Both claim to be pro-consumer, but their attitudes toward new regulations on health insurance are starkly different.