USA: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's political capital at stake as California voters decide on the "Terminator's" reform agenda

California voters went to the polls on Tuesday (November 8) in a special election called by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has put his reputation as a winning reformer on the line in a bid to reshape the state's political landscape. Californians have eight measures to consider, ranging from the right of parents to know when their daughters are having an abortion to the way legislative districts are drawn, and many are being watched closely across the nation. The election has become an epic showdown between Schwarzenegger, the popular film star swept into office as a political outsider in 2003, and the state public employee unions whom he says "run California." Schwarzenegger, who has seen his approval ratings drop in the past year in the face of furious attacks by his big labour foes, voted near his home in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Brentwood, telling reporters he was "very optimistic" as he entered the polls with wife Maria Shriver. Among his pledges during that campaign was to seize power from special interests and his Proposition 75 targets the unions that collect hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year and wield huge influence in Sacramento. Proposition 75 would require union bosses to get permission from members before spending the dues on political causes and experts say if it passes it could trigger a wave of similar reforms across the country. Schwarzenegger has also campaigned for Prop. 74, which would require teachers to wait an additional three years before earning tenure; Prop. 76, which would limit increases in state spending; and Prop. 77, which would take power to draw legislative districts away from legislators and give it to a panel of retired judges. Recent polls have shown the Republican governor is trailing on all four of the initiatives he backed in the face of bitter opposition from the unions, who have spent more than 100 million U.S. dollars to defeat him in the costliest initiative campaign in California history. Michael Sena of Los Angeles, California says he believes the "Terminator" may have finally met his match in this battle. "He's been given a taste of reality with him taking on the teachers and firefighters unions," explains Sena. "It's a bad idea and I don't know why he's doing it. I don't understand a lot of things they do." Andrew Bazquez, also of Los Angeles, called the special election a waste of time. "For Schwarzenegger specifically, I don't know how it's going to effect him in his total future. But, I don't think it's a good thing to do and I think people should really think how he's wasting out time and our money," says Bazquez. Others like Barbara Bottfield still supports Schwarzenegger. "I voted for him and I think we need to give him a chance to prove himself. I think he's been doing a good job." Politically, a defeat at the polls Tuesday could force Schwarzenegger to re-think his political career, or at the very least further add challenges to his re-election bid. Although, University of Southern California political scientist John Matsusaka believes it's still too early. "Well, we have to see what the numbers look like and if they lose, how much they lose by," says Matsusaka. "A lot of this depends on what exactly happens, as far as his re-election, which is something that this is going to matter for, I think that it is a long time till his re-election. If you think about a year ago, where he was standing and how far he's fallen, everything can be completely different. So, I don't think this can be read as a some sort of guarantee of his re-election or whether it dooms him. I think he'll have plenty of opportunity after this, but he'll have to re-think his plan if he loses," he explained. Schwarzenegger for his part says, either way, he'll listen to what the voters have to say.

ITN Source | November 10, 2005

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