Incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger was reelected for a second term
as governor Tuesday night as support from voters put him thousands
of votes ahead of Democratic challenger Phil Angelides.
The actor-turned-politician won his first term in 2003 as part
of an effort to recall Gray Davis. With 66.3 percent of California
precincts reported, Schwarzenegger was declared winner early
Wednesday morning with nearly 57 percent of the overall votes.
Angelides pooled 38 percent of votes.
“I love doing sequels,” Schwarzenegger said shortly
after the announcement. “This, without any doubt, is my
favorite sequel.”
Encouraged by applause and cheers during the speech he made at a
victory rally in nearby Beverly Hills soon after the announcement,
Schwarzenegger declared that “the people have given us a
mandate … to move the state ahead.”
But the Republican victory in California did not reflect the
results for gubernatorial races nationwide. Democratic governors
claimed six states that previously had Republicans in office.
And based on exit polls conducted by the Daily Bruin, UCLA
students favored the Democratic candidate. Of those polled, 61
percent voted for Angelides while 28.5 percent supported
Schwarzenegger and 8 percent picked other candidates.
Schwarzenegger’s victory was no surprise for the Bruin
Republicans, who spent the night celebrating an early victory
party.
“(Being a moderate) is one of (Schwarzenegger’s)
strengths; he’s a good governor,” said Jimmy Dunn,
secretary of the Bruin Republicans.
But others debated whether Schwarzenegger would actually
continue the pattern of moderate governance.
“I would bet 52 percent to 48 percent that
(Schwarzenegger) would be the compromising guy ““ the type of
guy we’ve seen in the last year,” said Matthew Baum, a
UCLA political science professor.
Baum admitted that Schwarzenegger’s stance, which bounces
between liberal and conservative, makes it hard to predict which
political party the governor will reflect in his coming term.
“That is the $64,000 question: … Which is the real
Arnold?” Baum said. “I’m inclined to think, given
he has recently tended to be a relative political moderate,”
and now that he is free from reelection pressure, he will continue
the trend because “he likes to be popular.”
Schwarzenegger was received less favorably almost a year ago
when he proposed a costly special election in 2005, which produced
no approval of any ballot items.
During his initial win in 2003, Schwarzenegger had a 50 percent
approval rating. It dipped to about 33 percent around the time of
the special elections.
Like Baum, Michael Dukakis, 1988 Democratic presidential
candidate, said Schwarzenegger has “become a sort of moderate
Democrat.”
“Only time will tell,” Dukakis said, referring to
Schwarzenegger’s fluctuating position in the political
spectrum.
Students also have mixed views regarding the future of
Schwarzenegger’s leadership.
“He’s been a moderate from the beginning ““
that’s one of his strengths,” Dunn said. “Of
course, (as with all politicians), there are plenty of things he
could do better.”
Meanwhile, the Bruin Democrats were celebrating for a different
reason.
“(Schwarzenegger) hasn’t done the best job. But
we’ll take the House. (It) looks like we won’t win the
governor, but we can’t win them all,” said Alan Ai, a
member of the Bruin Democrats and a third-year communication
studies and English student.
Though members of the Bruin Democrats were disappointed about
the gubernatorial race, they were still optimistic about the
nationwide election results.
“(Wining the House) means positive things for this
country,” said Gabe Rose, president of the Bruin
Democrats.
Near the end of voting hours, Westwood residents and members of
the UCLA community hastened to the polls to cast their votes.
But unlike in previous years, students did not have to
extensively wait in line.
“(Waiting in line) was not as long as the Hedrick (Hall)
lines during my freshman year,” said Marissa Lee, a
third-year creative writing student, who said she waited for about
20 minutes.
For Amanjot Mangat, fourth-year sociology student, the process
took only 10 minutes, but he felt he could have been more educated
on some of the ballot initiatives.
Some Hill residents were prepared because of the pre-voting
resources made available to them.
Newton Kwong, a first-year undeclared student, moved to Los
Angeles from New York five weeks ago and registered in his dorm
last week.
“Everyone was supportive of me, and I was able to get my
opinions to count,” Kwong said.
Kwong said his resident assistant held a meeting to inform
residents about the nearby polling stations and the resources
available on campus for more information.
But not all polling stations experienced a smooth process.
Nick Low, a second-year civil engineering student and polling
station volunteer, said that because some student groups who
registered students did not turn in registration forms on time,
some students who came to the station to vote were not on the
list.
With reports from Helen Yim, Abigail Palmer and Jennifer
Mishory, Bruin reporters.