50 State Project - California: The Main Event

I will be taking a look at my home state, the Golden State of California and its main event this year, the race for governor. As most of us know, Governor Schwarzenegger first came into office by winning the 2003 Recall election. It was just a year ago when all of the governor's ballot propositions went down in defeat and his popularity ratings sagged in the polls. Now the governor stands a good chance of getting re-elected. His Democratic opponent, State Treasurer Phil Angelides, is just not gaining enough traction because the governor is making all the right moves. He is out maneuvering his opponent by signing progressive legislation into law, which solidifies his position as the moderate candidate. Signing these bills into law helps the governor shore up the share of the Democratic vote that he needs to win in November (Democrats hold a strong edge in California's list of registered voters), and it will also bring in many independent voters to his side. And so with the combined support of a unified Republican base, the movie star governor is bound to get re-elected.