Tough day for tough guy

2005-11-09 07:54

Marc Lavine

Los Angeles - Action hero governor Arnold Schwarzenegger faced D-Day on Tuesday as Californians voted in an unpopular election seen as a crucial referendum on the brawny star's short political career.

Polls showed last week that Schwarzenegger faced an uphill battle in winning approval for four crucial ballot measures he has heavily backed.

Victory on at least some of the key measures is critical for the governor of the most populous United States state, who came to power in a landslide two year ago before seeing his popularity wane, as he prepares his campaign for re-election in one year's time.

"Arnold Schwarzenegger's name is not on the ballot, but in many ways this is referendum on his rule and things don't look great for him," said Claremont McKenna College political science professor, Jack Pitney.

Casts doubt on re-election

"But expectations of his chances of victory have fallen so far that he will claim victory if at least one of the propositions he has backed passes, irrespective of what it is."

A perceived defeat of Republican Schwarzenegger would also deal a blow to his prospects of re-election next year.

His former movie star pals, Democrats Warren Beatty and Rob Reiner, rammed home that message as they came out in fierce opposition of his ballot initiatives and the costly election itself.

"When I think about how misguided this elections is, I think about the waste," acclaimed actor and director Reiner.

Schwarzenegger called the special election in June in a bid to bypass the state's Democrat-dominated legislature and ram through reform measures by appealing directly to voters.

But the "Terminator" star has lost the celebrity sparkle he brought to the job when he was swept into power by a landslide in a special election October 2003.

A Field Poll survey last week found only 36% of Californians rated his performance as "positive," while 55% said they would not return him to office next year for a full four-year term.

- AFP