Re-elected as Governor of California

On 07/11/2006, incumbent Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger won re-election as the 38th Governor of California, defeating Democratic challenger Phil Angelides in the statewide gubernatorial election. Schwarzenegger, running as a Republican, secured 4,850,157 votes, representing 55.88 percent of the popular vote, while Angelides received 3,376,732 votes, or 38.91 percent. The result gave Schwarzenegger his first full four year term after initially taking office through the 2003 recall election that removed Governor Gray Davis. The victory followed a difficult period for Schwarzenegger in 2005, when voters rejected four ballot initiatives he had promoted in a special election, including proposals related to state spending and public sector unions. After those defeats, his administration shifted toward a more bipartisan governing strategy. In 2006, Schwarzenegger worked with the Democratic controlled California Legislature on a series of measures, including a negotiated agreement to raise the state minimum wage and environmental legislation addressing greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most prominent bipartisan measures during that period was the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, also known as Assembly Bill 32, which Schwarzenegger signed into law on 27/09/2006. The law created a statewide program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and authorized regulatory action by the California Air Resources Board. The legislation was introduced and passed with Democratic leadership support, reflecting the centrist approach Schwarzenegger adopted ahead of the election. Election results showed Schwarzenegger winning 52 of California’s 58 counties, including large margins in many rural regions and several populous Southern California counties. Angelides carried a smaller number of counties, with stronger support in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. The outcome marked the last time a Republican candidate was elected governor of California in a regular election as of recent election cycles. Why This Moment Matters The 2006 result reflected a shift in Schwarzenegger’s governing strategy after the 2005 ballot defeats, with bipartisan legislation and centrist positioning preceding his decisive statewide re-election.