Stockton Record

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity has hit a new low as public opinion in California begins to shift toward the Democrat-controlled Legislature, according to the results of a Field Poll conducted last week.

Just 37 percent of 711 registered voters surveyed said the governor is doing a good job — a sharp drop from the sky-high ratings he enjoyed nine months ago, when two-thirds of Californians approved of his performance.

Schwarzenegger has lost support among all groups — Democrats, nonaligned voters and even Republicans. Only two-thirds of Republicans support the governor now, down from 88 percent in February.

Schwarzenegger’s ratings have fallen steadily since the governor embarked on a risky and controversial quest to enact a series of government reforms.

Last week he called a special election to ask Californians to vote on those reforms. But most Californians don’t want a special election, according to the survey. This is a change from February’s results, when a majority supported holding the referendum when they weren’t informed of its cost.

Nearly two-thirds opposed a November election when told it could cost between $45 million and $80 million.

Stockton physician Rinaldo Alessio was among the poll respondents. He supports Schwarzenegger and his reforms.

"He’s bold, he’s courageous, and he’s willing to stand up to the Legislature," Alessio said.

He likened the conflict between the governor and the Legislature to a similar row over welfare reform when Pete Wilson was governor in 1992. Wilson’s proposal lost at the ballot box.

Schwarzenegger political consultant Mike Murphy said summertime polling can be notoriously inaccurate.

"The real campaign for these reforms has not even begun, and our opponents are already declaring victory," Murphy said in a statement. "They can declare victory all summer long, for all I care. We are squarely focused on November, and come this fall, after the voters learn about the governor’s reform agenda, and we have made our case, I am confident we will win."

According to Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo, Schwarzenegger’s tough talk — not any major external event — has caused this decline. Gov. Gray Davis’ fall, which ended with the recall election that brought Schwarzenegger into office, began with an electricity crisis that led to rolling blackouts and soaring electricity bills. Voters then were directly affected, and they responded, DiCamillo said.

In this case, nothing’s happened yet — which may be the problem.

"It’s really cutting against the grain," he said. "Most voters elect a governor to work with the Legislature. They want compromises."

Public opinion of the Legislature is equally dim. Only a quarter of registered voters said the Legislature is doing a good job, down from a third in February.

Nevertheless, when asked whom they trust more on important state issues, voters said they’d side with the Legislature 44 percent to 33 percent.

This does not bode well for Schwarzenegger, DiCamillo said.

Last year and during the recall election, the governor’s strength was his popularity among Democrats and nonpartisan voters. Now the poll results show that the overwhelming majority of Democrats dislike Schwarzenegger. And he’s lost the support of nonpartisans for the first time.

"The leverage he once had in bringing voters in from across the aisle appears to be pretty much gone," DiCamillo said.