Arnold Schwarzenegger came to power as Governor of California in 2003 due to the economic problems facing Governor Grey Davis, which led to the infamous recall election of that fall. In a race in which the people of the state could choose their new governor out of a list of 165 candidates, along with voting Governor Davis out of office, "The Terminator" came to office with the belief that he somehow had magical powers that would make all of California’s troubles go away.
Instead, Schwarzenegger has alienated members of his own Republican party, acted in many ways more like a Democrat, and yet antagonized most of the state due to the all time, any state budget deficit situation, therefore causing anger among public employees and the powerful labor unions in his state. Major tax increases in a state already overwhelmingly expensive to reside in, and the move to cut education and health care drastically, is causing a total erosion of support, and even leading to a move to recall Schwarzenegger and forcing another special recall election like the one that brought Schwarzenegger to power nearly six years ago.
What people seem not to understand is that it is not an issue of WHO is in office; it is an issue of the fact that we are in the worst economic downturn in seventy years, and it leads unavoidably to tax increases and budget cuts, something that wins no one popular support. It also makes one wonder why anyone would want to be governor of any state and have to deal with these divisive budgetary issues. It makes one understand why a governor like Florida Governor Charlie Crist has chosen to run for the Senate, which takes him away from direct confrontation with state economic issues, and allows a national platform but with less ultimate responsibility.