Posted on 04/01/2006 6:30:22 PM PST by FairOpinion
GOV. Arnold Schwarzenegger came up looking pretty good this week. That may not have been readily apparent from the results of a new poll that showed Californians give him a meager 37 percent approval rating. But the good news for the governor is that in a democratic system, the public grades on a curve, and his opponents are doing much worse.
Things look even rosier for the governor's re-election prospects when only likely voters are considered. Forty-seven percent in that category think Schwarzenegger is doing a good job.
The poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows the deadlock over the multibillion dollar infrastructure bond has had little impact on Schwarzenegger's approval numbers and that the Legislature, with a 23 percent approval rating, may be bearing the brunt of voters' frustration.
Meanwhile, the governor's Democratic rivals have failed to distinguish themselves. Treasurer Phil Angelides, who has been angling for the governor's job for two years and officially announced his candidacy a year ago, made a dismal showing in the poll. Only 22 percent of likely voters plan to throw their support behind him in the Democratic primary. He's in a statistical dead-heat with State Controller Steve Westly, who polled at 23 percent. More than 55 percent of likely voters don't know whether either candidate's policies could be called liberal or conservative.
Schwarzenegger's mea culpa after the disastrous November elections and his move to tone down his rhetoric have apparently paid off with a 2 percent up-tick in popularity since January. In addition, likely voters want to support Schwarzenegger, with 71 percent saying they like him. Voters seem willing to cut Schwarzenegger some slack, and his famous face and take-charge movie persona can only help.
Certainly a lot can change between now and Election Day. But one thing's for certain — it's too soon to write Schwarzenegger's political obituary. His bid for re-election promises to be a horse race, and Arnold could be dancing in the winners' circle.
Also, among "adults" Arnold is in dead heat with his Dem opponent, while among likely voters he is leading with decisive margins.
Also note the Dem Legislature's approval rating: 23%.
More poll results:
"In a contest with Angelides, Schwarzenegger got 41 percent of likely voters to 29 percent for the treasurer, with 30 percent undecided.
Against Westly, the governor received support from 39 percent of likely voters to 31 percent for the controller and another 30 percent undecided. "
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/30/BAGD9I0HQR1.DTL
Arnold will win. I don't think it will be that close. I'm guessing 54-46.
You can't beat a candidate with as much personality as Arnold without a candidate with a lot of personality. The D candidates are so boring they would make Steve Forbes look exciting.
I like it. :)
I think Arnold will win re-election. The 500,000 angry illegal protestors paid tribute to that. Angelides, Villagarosa, and the "lot" of proposed governors are far too closely tied to those who would riot in the City of Angels and throughout CA. They shout and rail "shut down the economy". Californians don't want that. Foolish, the liberal network that proposed such a massive protest.
I think Villaraigosa even made speeches at the protests.
Yes, he did. Stoopid. But yes, Villagorsa made speeches during the protest.
It's a free country, people are allowed to protest.
What did you want him to do, get into his "Terminator" mode and start mowing them down by the thousands?
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