Today is the second, and likely last, debate in the GOP Gubernatorial primary, and for Steve Poizner, this is his last best chance at scoring a knockout punch to the MegMachine:

After months of being bludgeoned by billionaire Meg Whitman in a one-way campaign, the former Silicon Valley entrepreneur is finally showing signs of life. And today, he again goes head to head against the former eBay CEO in the final scheduled debate before the June 8 primary.

Live from San Jose.

“It’s his last chance,” said Bill Whalen, chief speechwriter for former Gov. Pete Wilson.

“Poizner’s strategy has always been, ‘Don’t fire until you see the whites of her eyes,’ ” said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California. “Well, here she is.”

Even when the largely self-funded candidate was 50 percentage points down in the polls – refusing to spend much of his bulging war chest – Poizner had a “what, me worry?” confidence. But in recent weeks, the underdog has unleashed his own torrent of ads, spending about $2 million a week to introduce himself to voters and join Democratic groups in bashing the free-spending Whitman. (SJ merc)

Poizner who has finally gone to the airwaves to combat Whitman’s months-long siege of the state of California’s ears and eyes must now hope that his very effective ads hit the mark and make enough of an impression before the ballots drop in a week or two. But while few will watch this debate live, many will see a few take-away points around the web and on TV.  Poizner needs to bust out with some notable sound bites on Whitman’s background with Goldman Sachs as well as tossing some meat to the right-wing base.

You can watch live on CalChannel on the tube or online. In the Bay Area, it will be on KTVU-2 at 5 pm, as well as statewide on the Comcast “hometown” channel. (repeated ad nauseum, I’m sure). If you want to catch it sans smirks and harsh looks, it will be on KQED and public radio affiliates throughout the state.