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Riverside Press Enterprise Trouble for governor SACRAMENTO - A new poll indicates that Gov. Schwarzenegger is losing the support of all but his most ardent fellow Republicans as he begins campaigning for his Nov. 8 ballot initiatives to overhaul state government. Today's poll by the nonpartisan Field Institute, prepared for The Press-Enterprise and other California media subscribers, shows that just 37 percent of voters surveyed said they approve of Schwarzenegger's job performance. Only 10 months ago, Schwarzenegger's approval rating was 65 percent. Conducted after June 13, when Schwarzenegger announced the November special election, the Field Poll shows that a majority of voters oppose the effort. The opposition increases to 61 percent when respondents learned of the special election's estimated price tag of $45 million to $80 million. Schwarzenegger's campaign team downplayed the poll results. Perhaps most ominously for Schwarzenegger and his allies, the Field Poll results indicate that independent voters - who together with Democrats make up about 60 percent of the California electorate - are increasingly skeptical of the governor. Despite the Legislature's chronically low approval ratings, roughly twice as many independent voters seem ready to side with its Democratic leaders than with Schwarzenegger on important issues, according to the poll. That could weaken the governor's leverage in negotiations for a bipartisan compromise to avoid a ballot fight. "Last year, the governor had the support of a plurality of Democrats. That offered him his unique power," poll director Mark DiCamillo said. "Now it seems like the Democrats have gone to the Democratic side, the Republicans are sticking with the governor, and the non-partisan side is 2-to-1 with the leaders in the Legislature," he said. "They've moved in a big way." Schwarzenegger's political consultant, Mike Murphy, said in a statement that the campaign's own polling shows the governor winning over voters. "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," Murphy said. Seven initiatives have qualified for the Nov. 8 ballot, with one more awaiting signature verification. Three of the qualified measures -- dealing with teacher tenure, redrawing political districts, and controlling state spending -- are backed by Schwarzenegger. Democrats in the Legislature oppose the special election. Labor unions representing teachers, nurses and others have promised to spend millions to fight Schwarzenegger, as well as to defeat another initiative that would restrict public employees unions' use of members' dues for political purposes. Sandy Taylor, a San Bernardino bookkeeper, said she has low opinions of both Schwarzenegger and the Democrat-controlled Legislature. Both seem more intent on fighting than getting work done, she said. But she opposes the fall special election. "It's too costly. This state doesn't have a lot of extra money to spend. I don't think we should spend it just because Schwarzenegger wants to flex his muscle," said Taylor, 72, a Democrat Today's poll shows that only 16 percent of registered Democrats and 35 percent of independent voters approve of Schwarzenegger's job performance. Schwarzenegger, though, has the support of 66 percent of Republicans. "I think he's doing a good job," said Earl Shepherd, 60, a self-described political conservative from Rialto. Schwarzenegger, Shepherd said, had to call the special election because of Democratic obstructionism. "Sacramento won't do anything so we have to do something," said Shepherd, who supported Schwarzenegger in the 2003 recall election. Palm Desert voter Carol Casal, a Democrat, also backed Schwarzenegger for governor. But in recent months, Casal said she has been turned off by Schwarzenegger's out-of-state fundraising. Also, she said, he should be doing more to bring down utility rates. High utility rates forced her to sell her Riverside home and become a renter, she said. "I really thought he would do more for the people," said Casal, who works in social services. "But he's just another one of those politicians." Today's poll sampled 954 adults, including 711 registered voters, from June 13 through Sunday. The respondents answered one of two sets of questions. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
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