Sacramento, Calif.
California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the final phase of his re-election campaign this week enjoying a healthy lead over Democratic challenger Phil Angelides. Schwarzenegger’s re-election prospects looked bleak last fall, but he has regained the advantage by working with the Democratic-controlled State Assembly to pass several popular bills. They include a cap on the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, a minimum-wage increase, and a discount prescription plan for uninsured Californians. The initiatives, which defy orthodox Republican doctrine, have neutralized some of Angelides’ most potent issues. Many Democrats in California’s legislature say they support Angelides, but are happy to cooperate with the governor. “He wants to advance the Democratic agenda,” says Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, a Democrat. “We embrace it.”
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