The Republican Party’s newest star has afforded
conservatives a rare high-profile supporter in California who could
prove helpful for President Bush’s re-election chances.
Since his election in the November 2003 recall, Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger has embraced President Bush as a close political
ally, in a public display perhaps motivated by his need for federal
funds to help alleviate a state budget deficit.
And with a presidential election in November, Bush is now
turning to Schwarzenegger to help him in his bid for a second
term.
While California traditionally has been a Democratic-leaning
state, Bush campaigners are banking on Schwarzenegger’s star
power to boost support and fund raising.
“Gov. Schwarzenegger is a very important part of our
mission to change the face and reach of the party,” Gerald
Parsky, Bush’s California campaign chairman, told The
Associated Press.
“The support he gets from the people and his success at
establishing a bipartisan approach to governing, we believe, can be
translated into a real plus for us,” said Parsky, who also
sits on the University of California Board of Regents.
It seems no person in California would be better placed to help
the Bush campaign than the popular Schwarzenegger, fresh off a
string of political victories on March 2, including a $15 billion
bond measure to rescue the state budget.
With his popularity rating hovering in the 65-plus percentage
range, Schwarzenegger could help to increase the president’s
approval rating in California ““ currently sitting at about 43
percent, according to the AP.
But even with his political successes, many political analysts
are predicting Schwarzenegger’s apparent clout with voters
will do little to win the state for Bush.
“He might help him pick up a few votes here and there, but
how much is the real question,” said Barbara Sinclair,
professor and Hoffenberg chair for the political science
department. “Very few people can sway elections like
that.”
And a Republican victory in California might not even count for
much for the Bush campaign.
“If it gets to the point where Republicans could almost
carry the state, then chances are California won’t matter
anyway,” said political science Professor John Zaller.
“In the last election, Republicans barely advertised in
California,” he added.
Some also question whether Schwarzenegger’s ability to
sway voters is truly based his charisma and publicity skills.
Though the measures he proposed on the March 2 ballot were
successful, political science Assistant Professor Lynn Vavreck said
such political victories were widely supported by liberals and
conservatives alike, including Democratic state favorites like
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
“Schwarzenegger has the unique political position to skim
voters from the middle, but Bush doesn’t have such
ability,” she said.
In a state where Democratic voters outnumber Republican voters
43 to 36 percent, Bush’s conservative views ultimately may
prove too much of a stumbling block to overcome.
Fundamental differences between policies adopted by both
politicians also may make it more difficult for Schwarzenegger to
make a major impact on the number of votes for Bush come
November.
While they tend to agree on fiscal issues, such as resisting new
taxes, Schwarzenegger has proven to be more liberal on social
issues ““ including the controversial topic of gay marriage,
where he publicly has said he opposes a constitutional amendment
advocated by the president to ban such unions.
“I think those issues should be left to the state,”
Schwarzenegger said on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
on March 1. “So I have no use for a constitutional amendment
or change in that at all.”
With reports from Bruin wire services.