1115.org

A 25 point drop in approval ratings and a bloody special election loss will do that. Now both the Democratic gubernatorial primary and my local state senate primary feature attack ads based on comparisons to Schwarzenegger. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for the governor:

In 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigned for governor as an outsider that wouldn’t be beholden to special interests. But three years later, as the now-incumbent governor runs for re-election, Schwarzenegger has raised more money from Sacramento’s downtown ZIP code–better known as special-interest central–than any other ZIP code in the state.
[…]
“There are very few real people who live in 95814, legislative staffers and journalists excepted,” said Doug Heller, a spokesman for the Foundation for Taxpayers and Consumer Rights. “95814 is the home address of California special interests.”

In fact, Schwarzenegger’s Downtown Sacramento donors include many of the state’s leading political players, like the California Restaurant Association ($26,000), Exxon Mobil ($10,000), AT&T ($35,000) and the California Building Industry Association ($44,600).

Each of those groups has major interests pending before state government.

Way to go, tough guy.