In a race some are estimating will break campaign finance spending records, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic challenger Phil Angelides are chasing big checks all over the Golden State.

Contributions limits set up by Proposition 34 might limit the amount individuals can give, but it doesn't look like they'll have much effect on curtailing the total amount raised. Governor Schwarzenegger has set his fundraising goal at $75 million - which the San Francisco Chronicle points out means raising $400,000 a day. That's about $16,600 an hour, and $227 a minute. That's a whole lot of hand-shaking at big dollar fundraisers.

The article mentions the counterpoint to this staggering largesse in the form of the public financing initiative - the Clean Money and Fair Elections Act - sponsored by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock and the California Nurses Association which is working its way toward the ballot. A version of the Clean Elections Act is also being considered by the California Senate following the Assembly's approval of it earlier this year. Perhaps the governor's race will be just the sort of evidence to show the value of a public financing alternative.