That’s really a tough one, but Arnold was the last Republican (RINO) to occupy the governor’s mansion. Was it Arnold, or had it started before him? Sure seems like that is when only Democrats got elected from there on out.
During Arnold’s time weren’t there a couple of ballot initiatives that were responsible in nature (Got around the rat legislature deadlock!) that were defeated. I seem to remember Arnold was criticized for not campaigning for them. They were defeated and he interpreted their defeat as ‘Californians don’t want them!’, so he essentially went to sleep as Governor.
It was literally a trope.
In all movies...
Free and cool California versus all the inbred idiot hicks in flyover country.
All the “Free and cool” people went there.