Arnie likely to seek second term as governor

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger all but declared his intent to run for re-election in 2006, telling an audience that his job wasn’t finished and that he would make an announcement about his plans tomorrow.

“I’m not in this just for the short term, I believe very strongly in follow through,” he told a supporter who asked whether he’d have the chance to vote again for the actor-turned-politician.

“You sent me to Sacramento to fix a broken system and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Schwarzenegger has hinted for weeks that a declaration of his re-election plans was imminent.

Aides said that it would be made tomorrow in San Diego, the same day the state Republican convention is set to convene in Anaheim. Schwarzenegger will address that gathering on Saturday.

Yesterday’s meeting with friendly Central Valley voters was the second in a series of campaign events this week aimed at generating support for his “year of reform” measures on the November 8 special election ballot.

Supporters have said Schwarzenegger must announce he is seeking a second term if he wants the measures to pass.

The governor is pushing three measures aimed at curbing the power of Democratic legislators and public employee unions.

He wants to set a state spending cap, extend the probationary period for teachers from two years to five, and strip politicians of the power to draw their own political boundaries. Recent polls suggest all three are running behind.

Schwarzenegger also said he supported a separate ballot measure requiring public employee unions to get written permission to use members’ dues for political purposes.

“In principle, I’m all for it,” he told the audience. “But we have not endorsed it yet.”

Still, the governor made it clear that in his mind, the coming campaign would not be a battle between Democrats and Republicans but rather a fight between himself and the unions.

“The big union bosses have too much power in Sacramento,” Schwarzenegger said.

The two Democrats who have announced plans to run for their party’s nomination to challenge Schwarzenegger weighed in on his semi-announcement.

“I didn’t vote for him, but like most Californians I hoped that he would be bipartisan and try to solve problems.

"That didn’t last long,” state Controller Steve Westly said in a statement. “He has taken a hard right turn. The governor is attacking nurses, firefighters and teachers. … California can’t afford four more years of his politics or his policies.”

In an interview, state Treasurer Phil Angelides said Schwarzenegger’s goal had been to bring the policies of the Bush administration to California.

“From the day Arnold Schwarzenegger came into office he’s done the wrong things for California,” Angelides said. “He heaped debt on our kids, turned young people away from college, and favoured wealthy special interests over working people at every turn.”