Check the most recent FreeRepublic survey (unscientific as it is). It shows more Freepers supporting Arnold than those supporting Tom. Arnold has plenty of conservative support -- here, in the Republican Party, and across the state. And conservative support for Arnold isn't simply because of expediency. Those who say that Arnold isn't a conservative haven't recognized that his key economic team members are thinkers at the Hoover Institution; didn't read his op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal last week; didn't hear his comments at the state GOP convention a couple of weeks ago; and apparently don't consider conservative his comments that Californians are overtaxed, that the fiscal problem is that the state spends too much money rather than takes in too little revenue, and that anti-business legislation needs to be opposed in order to improve the state's economic climate.
The following is from Arnold's speech at the Republican Convention (in any other election, these comments would be plenty for conservatives):
"I saw in Austria made me anti-communist. What I saw in California made me a free-enterprise, fiscally conservative Republican. Republican principles are what built California into the Golden State.
"I came to America 35 years ago as an immigrant. By working playing by the rules, my immigrant dreams came true. I want other people to have the same chances, the same opportunities. I am a Republican because of what Ronald Reagan said – government bureaucrats can never substitute for millions of individuals working night and day to make their dreams come true.
"That's what being a Republican means.
"Let me tell you what being a conservative means to me.
"I'm a conservative because I believe communism is evil and free enterprise is good.
"I'm a conservative because Milton Friedman is right and Karl Marx was wrong.
"I'm a conservative because I believe the government serves the people; the people don't serve the government.
"I'm a conservative because I believe in balanced budgets, not budget deficits.
"I'm a conservative because I believe the money that people earn is their money – not the government’s money.
"And when you look at this driver's license outrage, I'm a conservative because I believe in the rule of law not in political pandering. The driver's license issue is not about race; it's about law. It's about a fair playing field. It's about living by the rules.
"That's why people come to this country – because our laws mean something.
"As governor, I promise you – our laws will mean something."