Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Schwarzenegger Is Most Popular Governor Since 1991, Poll Says
May 27 (Bloomberg) -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is more popular than any of his predecessors in 13 years, with approval from 65 percent of voters in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans, a poll found.
The Republican governor's approval rating is higher than any received by either of his two immediate predecessors, Republican Pete Wilson and Gray Davis, a Democrat, according to a poll by the Field Research Corp. His rating is twice as high as that given to the Democrat-led Legislature, according to the Field poll of 745 registered voters from May 18 to May 24.
``He's certainly got a lot of political capital stored up with the voters,'' Mark DiCamillo, the pollster for the San Francisco-based research company, said in a telephone interview.
Schwarzenegger's popularity may help California approve a spending plan on time, which it has failed to do 12 times since 1990, including last year. The governor plans to close the state's $14 billion budget deficit without raising taxes.
Schwarzenegger is the most popular governor of California since George Deukmejian, the Republican who held the office between 1983 and 1991 and whose popularity peaked at 72 percent in 1985, according to the Field poll. Democrats in California outnumber Republicans 43 percent to 36 percent, according to the Secretary of State's office.
Schwarzenegger, the star of three ``Terminator'' movies, said he wants lawmakers to pass a budget by a June 30 deadline that has been met only three times in the last 15 years. Sixty- two percent of registered voters think taxes will have to be raised to eliminate the deficit, according to the Field poll.
Poll Wins
Schwarzenegger, after being elected in October, has already convinced voters to approve a record $15 billion bond sale in March and force the legislature into acting on his campaign pledge to overhaul the state's workers compensation insurance system. Since October, Schwarzenegger has twice won at the polls and has told lawmakers he will take measures straight to voters should they not act on his plans.
The Field poll has a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points and didn't break out figures for how likely those surveyed are to vote.
Schwarzenegger's image hasn't been tarnished by the state's lingering budget deficit, according to a separate poll released by the Public Policy Institute of California. That poll showed Schwarzenegger with an approval rating of 64 percent among state residents, even though 73 percent consider the budget deficit to be a big problem. That poll, of 2,001 residents, has a margin of error 2 percentage points.
``People see the budget situation as something brought on by others, but apparently do not fault Governor Schwarzenegger,'' said Mark Baldassare, the director of the Public Policy Institute poll, said in a statement. group based in San Francisco.
In an October recall vote, Schwarzenegger beat Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, his most prominent competitor of 135 candidates, 48 percent to 32 percent. The proposal to fire Davis won 55 percent to 45 percent.
To contact the reporter on this story:
William Selway in San Francisco at at [email protected].
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Mark Pittman at at [email protected].
Originally posted by Avatar4321
But California isnt mostly Democrats anymore. its starting to balance out alot more.
Originally posted by Avatar4321
But California isnt mostly Democrats anymore. its starting to balance out alot more. Whats amazing is Kerry is only up one point in Cali. that means Cali is in play.
She consulted her crystal ball and has seen the future!Originally posted by deciophobic
Trust me, Bush won't win Cali.
Originally posted by freeandfun1
She consulted her crystal ball and has seen the future!
Originally posted by deciophobic
Trust me, Bush won't win Cali.
Originally posted by acludem
Arnold is popular because he's fiscally conservative and socially liberal - the perfect California combination. Kerry will win California handily, I think.
acludem
