Has anyone seen any recent 2006 governor race polls?

[jfern]

I don't mean approval rating polls, I know Arnold's approval rating is in girle-man terroritory.

[yurbud]

1. I have a feeling the polls won't matter.

Arnold is getting direction from Karl Rove, and the end of his first term looks suspiciously like Bush's--on the ropes so his opponents get over-confident.

Then he will miraculously win anyway and pollsters will scramble to explain what they did wrong.

[OrwellwasRight]

2. Who would you put up against him?

Either dream candidates or likely candidates?

I think Jane Harmon still has potential.

Others I would suggest include:

Barbara Boxer
Lois Capps
Xavier Becerra

(I am a native Californian, only been in DC for a year and a half. The recall election was a month after I arrived in DC and I cried as I watched the returns.)

[Doomsayer13]

3. none of the above

Lois is a lovely lady (my rep) but she has no gubnetorial ambitions and is honestly too gentle for the job. Plus, she has the job she wants - Congresswoman.

Boxer has said she will not run for governor - plus she's much more effective as Senator anyways.

Don't know about Becerra or Harmon, but they've done no campaigning among Democratic circles.

So far, the announced candidates are Comptroller Steve Westley and Treasurer Phil Angelides, two stand up people. Phil seems to have the support of the activist community and has always been a harsh critic of Arnold - he's the front runner.

[OrwellwasRight]

4. Problem with Phil is that

he lacks charisma and might end up like Gray. I love his green building campaign and his efforts to use the state's power of the purse to induce communities to engage in smart growth, I just am not sure he has the tv-personality to go over well in the electorate that elected the Ah-nold and ousted Gray mostly because he was boring.

I don't know much about Westly, but wasn't Kathleen Brown's gubernatorial bid launched from the Comptroller position?

Becerra is a Dem Rep from LA, currently on the Ways and Means Committee, ran for mayor of LA several years ago and lost in the primaries to both Villaraigosa and Hahn; before that he was in the the state legislature.

Harmon is likewise a Dem Rep, bigs on defense and foregin affairs issues, and ran for governor against Al Checchi and I belive Gray Daivs (losing to both obviously).

In any case both have "campaigned among Democratic circles."

[cascadiance]

5. I would much rather put Feinstein up than Boxer...

I want to keep Boxer in the Senate (or move her to pres or VP if possible in 2008) where she is far more effective at representing California's interests on the national scene.

If Feinstein were to drop out and run for governor it would potentially solve two issues. First, get the Dems back in control of the governorship and get Arny out and second, allow for a decent transition to a more effective Democratic senator in congress. Of course before this move is made, we need a "lock" candidate to run for senate here to take her place.

Also, getting a Dem in at governor, and hopefully a better senator to join Boxer would make it that much better for Boxer to be able to run for the white house in 2008 if the opportunity comes her way to do so (by allowing a Dem governor to appoint her replacement, and also have another effective senator to turn over leadership to as far as representing California's interests in the Senate then).

Still, if Angelides can win the governorship, or someone like him, I would like that immensely too. The main issue though is finding someone that can beat the Gropenator.