By Howard Fine
As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stakes out more partisan Republican positions in pursuing his government overhaul agenda, he appears to be losing support among Republicans.
Up through early this year, the governor repeatedly scored approval ratings at or near 90% among Republicans in statewide surveys.
He received an 88% approval rating in one poll just after proposing changes to redistricting, merit pay for teachers, stricter budgetary spending controls and conversion of public pensions to 401(k)-style defined contribution plans,all popular proposals among core Republicans.
But last week a poll from the Rose Institute for State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College found that only 76% of registered Republicans surveyed said they thought Schwarzen-egger was doing a good job. (The decline isn’t as steep as the 20% drop among Democratic voters.)
The erosion of Republican support is the result of recent setbacks, including Schwarzenegger’s retreat from pension reform, said Doug Johnson, consulting fellow with the Rose Institute.
“People are worried he’s becoming one of ‘them,’ meaning Sacramento politicians,” Johnson said.
Fine is a staff writer with the Los Angeles Business Journal.
