Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman campaigned to various groups over the weekend, in an effort to secure important votes with nearly one week until Election Day.

Brown, along with fellow Democrats Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom, visited several African American churches in South Los Angeles Sunday morning and then attended a rally in Van Nuys with Sen. Barbara Boxer, after keeping a low profile Saturday.

Whitman, who crossed the state Saturday to focus on the Asian-American vote, took the opposite approach and did not hold any public events Sunday.

The Republican candidate, who is trailing her opponent by almost 13 points, launched a new minute-long ad over the weekend to reintroduce herself to voters.

"I know many of you see this election as an unhappy choice between a longtime politician with no plan for the future and a billionaire with no government experience," she said in the ad. "Well, let me tell you my story."

Young voters are lacking the enthusiasm they showed in the 2008 elections -- and California is no exception.

Three Republican candidates from across the country, including Meg Whitman, have spent over $243 million campaigning.

This year's Election Day is more of an opportunity to end the nastiness of this election season, rather than a day of exciting change.

The California Republican Party has become its own worst enemy.

Two Northern California newspapers are endorsing Brown: Santa Rosa's Press Democrat and Vallejo's Times-Herald. One is endorsing Whitman: Vacaville's The Reporter.

Reach associate news editor Taylor Freitas here. Follow her on Twitter: @taylorfreitas.

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