The race may be nearly two years away, but early match-ups for the 2010 gubernatorial election in California show that it's likely to be a close one.

With the state's current Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ineligible for reelection, the most prominent name mentioned on the GOP side is former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, and for now she beats two of the three leading early contenders for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

But former governor Jerry Brown, now the state's attorney general, tops Whitman 40% to 38% in a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of California voters.

Brown, who was governor from 1975-1983, is eligible to run for the position again. Whitman, head of eBay for 10 years, was mentioned as a possible secretary of Treasury if Republican presidential candidate John McCain had been elected. Both are reportedly considering a run for governor.

In match-ups with two prominent first-term Democratic mayors, Whitman holds a 37% to 34% lead over Gavin Newsom of San Francisco and a 41% to 34% lead over Los Angeles' Anthony Villaraigosa.

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Brown has the highest level of support among Democrats in any of the hypothetical match-ups against Whitman. Running against her, Brown earns the backing of 67% of Democrats, Newsom 57% and Villaraigosa 56%. Whitman has the support of more than 70% of GOP voters in every case.

Whitman performs well among unaffiliated voters. Among that group, she leads 44% to 24% when matched against Brown, 38% to 22% against Newsom and 50% to 21% against Villaraigosa.

Forty-three percent (43%) of California voters view Whitman favorably, including 10% Very Favorable, while 22% view her unfavorably. Just five percent (5%) have a Very Unfavorable opinion of Whitman. A third of voters (34%) don’t know enough about her to form an opinion.

Brown is the most well-known name to California voters and is viewed favorably by 46%, including 24% who say that view is Very Favorable. Thirty-eight percent (38%) have an unfavorable opinion of Brown, with 26% Very Unfavorable. Just 16%, however, are not sure what they think of the 70-year-old Brown who has been a fixture in California politics for nearly 40 years.

Newson is viewed favorably by 36%, unfavorably by 41%, and 23% are not sure what they think of him. Thirteen percent (13%) have a Very Favorable opinion of Newsom and 25% a Very Unfavorable view. Villaraigosa’s ratings are 38% favorable, with 13% Very Favorable, and 42% unfavorable, including 27% Very Unfavorable. Twenty percent (20%) are not sure what they think of Villaraigosa.

Schwarzenegger earns 38% approval from California voters, while the majority (60%) disapprove of the job he’s been doing. Schwarzenegger was first elected in 2003.

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