Arnold Schwarzenegger Would Get 25% of the Vote If Californians Voted Today

Drudge Report ^ | 9 August 2003

[Hal1950]

Arnold Schwarzenegger Would Get 25% of the Vote If Californians Voted Today

California voters would remove Governor Gray Davis from office and replace him with Arnold Schwarzenegger by a 19 percentage-point margin if the election were held today, according to a TIME/CNN Poll.

Schwarzenegger leads Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamanate, his closest competitor, by a 25%-to-15% margin. Trailing were State Sen. Tom McClintock (9%), former candidate for governor Bill Simon (7%) and (tied with 4%) Hustler publisher Larry Flynt, columnist Arianna Huffington, and former Major League Baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein beat Schwarzenegger to replace Davis, 22 percent to 20 percent, if she had been a candidate, according to to TIME/CNN survey.

But California voters are not convinced that the Austrian-born action hero is capable of governing the state: 45% think he is, but many (55%) think he isn't capable (39%) or are unsure (16%). Schwarzenegger is not perceived as falling into any ideological camp: more see him as "moderate" (40%) than either conservative (23%) or "liberal" (19%).

The TIME/CNN Poll, conducted Aug. 8, surveyed 508 registered California voters by telephone. The margin of error is +/- 4.3%.

Developing...

[John Jorsett]

Ping

[Jay D. Dyson]

9 percent won't even get close to a win. McClintock needs to drop out now.

I have a better idea. How about Schwarzenegger drops out and endorses McClintock. Then we'll have an actual conservative with 34% of the vote.

...unless, of course, you want to argue that most of the 25% voting for Arnold are Democrats. If you argue that, perhaps you'd care to explain why you support a candidate that caters to the Left?

-Jay

[EGPWS]

It's more like suicide.

What does that leave for an option if one votes for a Democrat? Suicide, for voting for a Republican, whether they are a RINO or not HAS to be better than a Democrat! So if suicide is an option against a RINO, what is the option against a Democrat like Gray-out?

[goldstategop]

Simon should have stayed out but we definitely need a back up conservative candidate in the contest. He happens to be Tom McClintock.

[Biblebelter]

I am no expert on polling, but 508 voters in the very large State of California with this large a field of possible choices doesn't seem like much of a sample.

[rolling_stone]

So hopefully Arnie and Simon will drop out and endorse McClintock.

Yea about as much chance as an ice cube in Hades....

[FairOpinion]

"there's a secret ballot. "

===

So? I wasn't talking about individuals, I was talking about a group, who claim to be conservatives. Surely you don't think that Democrats or Socialists will be the ones who will vote for McClintock and Simon, and otherwise they would be voting for Bustamente?

Any vote for McClintock of Simon is a VOTE FOR BUSTAMENTE.

Why bother having a recall to install a Davis clone?

[Lx]

Well, as a life time Californian who wholeheartedly supported Simon in the last election. I have to be pragmatic and support Arnold. Much as I'd like another Reagan, that will never happen in the current climate here.
The only reason not to support Arnold or any other Republican, RINO or not is who gets blamed for the train wreck that has already happened but has been cleverly hidden with Enron style accounting.

Since the gov gets a line item veto, a fiscally conservative gov could cut out all of Davis's largess and stop the hemorrhaging of jobs and businesses.

I'm disappointed in the people that think we should let our state go down the tubes to prove how bankrupt the dems' policies and visions are. A perfect analogy would be Britain's gun laws. After their implementation crime rates soar and what do they pols say? We need even more draconian gun laws. Same thing with the Third Way crowd, Communism isn't a bankrupt institution, it just wasn't implemented right. I'm sure that's Hillary's position. We have to cut them off now and Arnold is the only hope come Election Day. If he really wants to save us, he might be a one-termer with all the tough decisions he'll have to make and I'd sure like to hear him declare that if elected he'll repeal the tripling of the car tax.

I liked Simon but he is just splitting the vote and so is McClintock who I like more than Simon. If one of them had Arriana's chutzpah maybe they'd have a chance but they're only going to divide our vote and give us Governor n-word Bustamonte.

[rivercat]

Simon is yesterday's news... He should bow out and endorse McClintock. That'll put him at 16%, for now.

[John Jorsett]

Since the gov gets a line item veto, a fiscally conservative gov could cut out all of Davis's largess and stop the hemorrhaging of jobs and businesses.

Schwarzenegger's comment about businesses being necessary so that we can tax them and provide social programs is a bit off-putting to me. I don't like the viewpoint that businesses are some sort of cow to be milked for the maximum amount of cash possible without killing them, and I'm not sure someone with that viewpoint would use the veto to cut out unnecessary (to me, at least) spending.

[Stallone]

You don't know what you're talking about.

I know Arnold, and I know that his passionate patriotism and love of America puts him in the company of the best of the GOP.

Arnold is a successful, self-made businessman (are you?), and believes deeply in the American dream.

Only a fool would disparage the opportunity for Arnold to serve the Republicans as Governor of California.

Despite your words, you're not saying anything at all.

[risk]

Any vote for McClintock of Simon is a VOTE FOR BUSTAMENTE. You're quick to decide the election before the campaign is over! Why not see how the opinion polls develop first? We have no real notion of how conservative Californians have become yet.

Remember, most people came here to build better lives for their families by hard work. They will listen to McClintock's ideas and make up their own minds who is going to serve the needs of California's economy on their own.

You may be surprised at what happens in the next few weeks.

[John Jorsett]

[EGPWS]

Not at all. But at some point several of these guys will have to do some soul searching because if Grayout is booted and Bustamante is elected, nothing will get back on track.

If Bustamante gets elected (or even has a chance to) then that is a vote for Gray-out and if that is the case, Gray-out may as well maintain his governorship! I, however don't see the people of California allowing such a thing to happen,(even though the mainstream media will say otherwise)A Democrat is NOT going to be the next Governor of California! RINO at the least, but not a Democrat no matter how many Rebublican candidates are in the race!

[truth_seeker]

"The "stick the finger to the wind" approach to politics being advocated by so many on here is somewhat disheartening, to say the very least."

Yes. How detestable for Republicans to actually want to WIN elections. Unprincipled.

It is far better to remain always totally principled, out of office and power. That frees up all of the time, to bitch and moan and complain.

[KQQL]

Bill Simon (7%)

SIMOM IS AND WAS AND WILL BE A LOSER >>>>LOL

[KQQL]

Simon is yesterday's news... He should bow out and endorse McClintock

SImon is a SORE LOSER..........he will lose again...........

[truth_seeker]

"And if we want *INNOCENT BABIES* to live, we should vote for *TOM McCLINTOCK* or *BILL SIMON*, not an *UNREPENTANT BABY KILLING RINO* like *SCHWARZENEGGER*!!!!!"

Yeah, because we ALL KNOW that the governor of CA is the one who makes all of the decisions, about abortion. He alone can override the Supreme Court.

Plus, McClintock is at 9% and Simon is at 7% so they are both surging ahead, and they and their supporters are in complete control, wield all of the power.

Great thinking. I'm impressed by yet another FR poster.

[colorado tanker]

I like your optimism.

[KQQL]

I got news for every one.........ROE Will never get over turned...........