[My2Cents]

Republican State Sen. Tom McClintock emerged as the frontrunner

That's debatable.

[Impeach98]

He was #1 in the polls during the early to middle stages of the recall.

Do you remember who the proposed candidates were then? There was Darrell Issa - after he started putting money into the recall. There was David Drier or Chris Cox named as possible candidates.

There were a handful of other proposed candidates. McClintock had the highest poll numbers of any quasi-serious real or potential candidate at the time.

And then Arnold entered the picture and the GOP was star-struck.