Tribes in California have donated over $815,000 to the candidates for governor.

More than $625,00 has gone to Democrat Democrat Jerry Brown. Tribes remember his record as governor, including a bill to create the Native American Heritage Commission and his opposition gto gaming regulations as state attorney general.

"The tribes have a longer history with Brown. He knows more about tribes, their cultures, their governments than the Legislature combined," David Quintana of the California Tribal Business Alliance told The Riverside Press-Enterprise.

Tribes have contributed about $190,000 to Republican Meg Whitman. She doesn't have an Indian record but she has met with nearly every tribe in the state.

"She understands an important part of being governor is having good inter-governmental relationships with tribes," a spokesperson said.

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Tribes key in backing gubernatorial candidates (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 9/21)