Everyone has heard of Meg Whitman, the billionaire former head of eBay. Now she's forging a new career, running for governor of California. And she's not alone.

An article in Politico, reports that high-tech executives and entrepreneurs are throwing their hats into the ring for 2010 House, Senate and governors' races. Some of these wanna-be's are leaving companies at the pinnacle of their careers. Others see an opportunity because the electorate wants people outside the political arena who can bring change.

"Who better to start with than a group of hyper-ambitious men and women with millions of dollars burning a hole in their pocket, all looking for the next big thing to do in their life?" Bill Whalen, an expert on state and national politics at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, told Politico. "These are all people who have achieved and overachieved."

Not only that, these high-tech executives have the ability to pour their own money into these fledgling campaigns. Whitman, for example, has already committed $19 million of her own money to the race. Will these high-tech execs make it to the finish line? Some of them probably will. And they will bring along the innovation and brashness that made their companies a success and could possibly do the same thing for government.

For more on the aspirations of high-tech candidates:
- check out this Politico article