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Schwarzenegger Anxious about 'Year of Reform' NewsMax.com Wires California voters were in the middle of a power struggle Tuesday that could hand Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger an embarrassing setback or give him renewed clout over how the state is governed. The special election pitted the Republican actor-turned-governor against two of California's dominant political forces — public employee unions and Democrats who control the Legislature. In an appeal on the eve of the election, likely to be among the most expensive in state history, Schwarzenegger urged voters to "give me tools to reform the system." The contest represented the biggest test yet of a faltering Schwarzenegger's leadership and popularity — and the outcome will give him momentum toward re-election next year or cloud his ability to win a second term. In the campaign's closing days, polls found none of the governor's proposals had majority support among likely voters. In all, voters weighed eight ballot initiatives, four of which Schwarzenegger embraced as part of his "year of reform." Story Continues Below
With absentee ballots dominating early returns, the governor's centerpiece proposal to cap state spending was trailing — as was an initiative to redraw state legislative districts. Two others — both of which targeted public employees, including teachers — were leading. The secretary of state has projected that 42 percent of the state's 15.8 million registered voters would cast ballots. That would be less than the 61 percent turnout for the 2003 recall but greater than turnout for special elections in 1993 and 1979. Schwarzenegger's proposals to curb spending and weaken unions have inflamed passions on both sides, partly because of the election's roughly $50 million cost in a state that repeatedly faces budget shortfalls. Underscoring the stakes, celebrities including Warren Beatty and Rob Reiner provided Hollywood counterweight to the governor's Terminator image. Though some of the measures were complex, Schwarzenegger cast the election in simple terms: Support him and the state moves forward — vote no and protect a broken status quo. His conflict with the unions made him a target for teachers, nurses and firefighters who hounded his public appearances for months and helped push his popularity ratings to record lows. Schwarzenegger's Tuesday got off to an inauspicious start: When he arrived at a polling place near his Brentwood mansion, poll workers said he had already voted. He hadn't. A quick call to the Los Angeles County Registar-Recorder Office turned up the problem — an unexplained mix-up involving an early voting test. After voting — for real — Schwarzenegger flashed a thumbs-up sign but didn't speak with reporters. The governor called the election in June to promote three initiatives: Proposition 74, which would lengthen teachers' probationary period from two years to five and make it easier to fire veteran teachers; Proposition 76, which would cap state spending; and Proposition 77, which would transfer the power to draw legislative boundaries from lawmakers to three retired judges. Schwarzenegger later embraced Proposition 75, which would make it harder for public employee unions to raise money for political purposes. Four other initiatives rounded out the list. The most emotionally charged was Proposition 73, a constitutional amendment that would require doctors to notify parents or guardians when a minor seeks an abortion. It also would redefine abortion as an act that causes the death of an unborn child. Part of the Republican strategy targeted Christian conservatives, hoping their support for Proposition 73 would trickle down to the governor's four signatures measures. Another initiative sought to reregulate part of the state's energy market. The ballot also included dueling initiatives to lower prescription drug costs. That battle became one of the most expensive initiative campaigns in state history: Pharmaceutical companies pumped in $76 million to support the industry-sponsored Proposition 78 and oppose Proposition 79, which labor and consumer groups supported. The cascade of campaign spending has been shocking, even in a state known as an ATM for political donations. Preliminary figures suggest that Republicans, Democrats, unions, big businesses, pharmaceutical companies and others could have ended up spending a combined $300 million — more than President Bush raised for his 2004 re-election campaign. It was the fourth statewide election in three years. © 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note:
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