2006 California gubernatorial election
November 7, 2006
Turnout32.77% Decrease28.43pp
 
Nominee Arnold Schwarzenegger Phil Angelides
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 4,850,157 3,376,732
Percentage 55.88% 38.91%
County results
Schwarzenegger:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Angelides:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Republican

 Elected Governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Republican

The 2006 California gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 2006. The primary elections took place on June 6, 2006. The incumbent Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, won re-election for his first and only full term. His main opponent was California State Treasurer Phil Angelides, the California Democratic Party nominee. Peter Camejo was the California Green Party nominee, Janice Jordan was the Peace and Freedom Party nominee, Art Olivier was the California Libertarian Party nominee, and Edward C. Noonan was the California American Independent Party nominee.

Under the state constitution, the Governor serves a four-year term, with a maximum or minimum term limit of two four-year terms for life, regardless of whether or not they are consecutive or nonconsecutive. Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in a 2003 recall election and served out the remainder of predecessor Gray Davis's term ending in 2007; Schwarzenegger was therefore eligible to serve until 2011.[1] As of 2024, this along with the concurrent Insurance Commissioner election was the last time Republicans won a statewide election in California as well as the last election in which a California governor and lieutenant governor of opposite parties were elected.

Exit polls showed Schwarzenegger won White people (63%–32%) and Asian-Americans (62%–37%), while Angelides won African-Americans (70%–27%) and Latinos (56%–39%).

Primary elections (June 6, 2006)

Bar graph of statewide results[2]

Results by county[3]

The period for candidate nominations closed on March 24, 2006.

Democratic

Candidates

The two front-runners for the Democratic nomination were Angelides and California State Controller Steve Westly. A pre-election poll had Westly leading Angelides by six percentage points.[4] The Field Poll conducted on April 17, 2006, showed that both Democratic candidates had low recognition factors amongst the state's electorate, with only 45% having any opinion on Angelides and 40% for Westly. Of registered Democrats surveyed, 59% said they didn't know enough about Angelides to have any opinion about him, with 58% saying the same for Westly.[5] The Los Angeles Times reported that the race for the Democratic nomination was a virtual tie, with Angelides leading Westly by three percentage points (37%–34%), within the 3% margin of error. Unusually, 28% of Democratic voters were undecided, and both candidates tried to earn the undecided vote.

Angelides reported a recent increase in support for his campaign and gained union support as well as support from the "core" liberal constituency. The California Democratic Party endorsed him prior to the primary, despite most polls showing that Westly would fare much better against Schwarzenegger in the general election.[6] However, many registered Democrats believed that Westly had a greater chance of winning against incumbent governor Schwarzenegger and felt that he had a slightly "more positive" image.[7] In the end, Angelides won 47.9% of the vote to Westly's 43.4%. The turnout for the primary, was a record low 33.6%,[8] far below the 38% predicted by the Secretary of State,[9] with the turnout of valid ballots cast on election day at 28%.[10]

Polling

Source Date Westly Angelides
Survey USA June 5, 2006 36% 44%
Survey USA June 2, 2006 37% 41%
Field Poll June 2, 2006 35% 34%
LA Times Poll May 27, 2006 34% 37%
Survey USA May 25, 2006 32% 44%
Public Policy Institute of California May 25, 2006 32% 35%
Survey USA May 8, 2006 31% 41%
LA Times Poll April 29, 2006 33% 20%
Public Policy Institute of California April 27, 2006 26% 20%
Field Poll April 17, 2006 37% 26%
Public Policy Institute of California March 30, 2006 23% 22%
Field Poll November 3, 2005 26% 37%
Field Poll September 7, 2005 22% 32%
Field Poll June 29, 2005 28% 37%
Field Poll February 25, 2005 11% 15%

Results

Democratic primary results by county
  Angelides
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  Westly
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
California gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2006
Candidate Votes  %
Phil Angelides 1,202,851 48.00
Steve Westly 1,081,940 43.18
Barbara Becnel 66,550 2.66
Joe Brouillette 42,075 1.68
Michael Strimling 35,121 1.40
Frank A. Macaluso, Jr. 30,867 1.23
Vibert Greene 25,475 1.02
Jerald Robert Gerst 21,039 0.84
Total votes 2,505,918 100.00

Republican

Candidates

Republican Schwarzenegger faced token opposition and won overwhelmingly in the primary held on June 6, 2006.

Results

California gubernatorial Republican primary, 2006
Candidate Votes  %
Arnold Schwarzenegger 1,724,281 89.99
Robert C. Newman II 68,660 3.58
Bill Chambers 65,487 3.42
Jeffrey R. Burns 57,652 3.01
Total votes 1,916,080 100.00

Third parties

California gubernatorial primary, 2006 (Others)
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Peter Camejo 33,545 100.00
American Independent Edward C. Noonan 29,094 100.00
Libertarian Art Olivier 16,445 100.00
Peace and Freedom Janice Jordan 3,849 100.00

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Schwarzenegger's decision to call the 2005 special election, as well as his propositions dealing with teachers' and nurses' unions and other political missteps, brought his approval rating down to 39% by April 2006,[11] though he ended up solidly defeating his opponents. During his first two years, he came under fire from some conservatives for supporting several taxes on Californians,[12] and from some liberals for refusing to sign a bill allowing gay marriage, and his support for several controversial propositions in 2005. Later, Schwarzenegger's popularity with voters rebounded and he won reelection by a wide margin.

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[13] Lean R November 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball[14] Likely R November 6, 2006
Rothenberg Political Report[15] Safe R November 2, 2006
Real Clear Politics[16] Likely R November 6, 2006

Polling

Source Date Arnold
Schwarzenegger (R)		 Phil
Angelides (D)		 Peter
Camejo (G)		 Art
Olivier (L)
Field Poll November 1, 2006 49% 33%
Zogby/WSJ October 17, 2006 47% 40%
Zogby/WSJ September 28, 2006 43% 34% 8% 4%
Field Poll September 27, 2006 44% 34%
Rasmussen September 12, 2006 47% 39%
Zogby/WSJ September 11, 2006 40% 35% 6% 4%
Rasmussen August 31, 2006 48% 42%
Public Policy Institute of California August 30, 2006 45% 32%
Survey USA August 28, 2006 52% 38%
Zogby/WSJ August 28, 2006 45% 40%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-08-03 at the Wayback Machine August 1, 2006 47% 41%
Public Policy Institute of California July 26, 2006 43% 30%
Field Poll July 25, 2006 45% 37%
Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 42% 44%
Rasmussen July 13, 2006 44% 46%
Survey & Policy Institute July 6, 2006 44% 37%
Zogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 45% 45%
Field Poll June 2, 2006 46% 39%
LA Times Poll May 28, 2006 45% 46%
Public Policy Institute of California May 25, 2006 38% 38%
Rasmussen May 23, 2006 45% 45%
LA Times Poll April 29, 2006 43% 43%
Rasmussen April 17, 2006 49% 36%
Field Poll April 14, 2006 44% 40%
Public Policy Institute of California March 30, 2006 41% 29%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-04-27 at the Wayback Machine March 23, 2006 44% 45%
Field Poll March 2, 2006 39% 39%
Rasmussen February 13, 2006 40% 41%
Rasmussen January 25, 2006 39% 41%
Rasmussen Archived 2005-12-19 at the Wayback Machine December 16, 2005 40% 44%
Field Poll November 3, 2005 41% 47%
Field Poll August 29, 2005 40% 43%
Field Poll June 13, 2005 42% 46%
Field Poll February 25, 2005 52% 35%
Hypothetical polling
Schwarzenegger v Westly
Source Date Schwarzenegger (R) Westly (D)
Field Poll June 2, 2006 44% 42%
LA Times Poll May 28, 2006 40% 50%
Public Policy Institute of California May 25, 2006 36% 36%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-05-24 at the Wayback Machine May 23, 2006 44% 46%
LA Times Poll April 29, 2006 39% 48%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-04-21 at the Wayback Machine April 17, 2006 48% 40%
Field Poll Archived 2005-08-30 at the Wayback Machine April 14, 2006 43% 43%
Public Policy Institute of California March 30, 2006 39% 31%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-04-27 at the Wayback Machine March 23, 2006 44% 45%
Field Poll Archived 2005-08-30 at the Wayback Machine March 2, 2006 37% 41%
Rasmussen Archived 2006-02-23 at the Wayback Machine February 13, 2006 39% 34%
Field Poll Archived 2005-08-30 at the Wayback Machine February 2, 2006 52% 33%
Rasmussen January 25, 2006 39% 40%
Rasmussen Archived 2005-12-19 at the Wayback Machine December 16, 2005 39% 46%
Field Poll Archived 2005-08-30 at the Wayback Machine November 3, 2005 40% 46%
Field Poll Archived 2005-08-30 at the Wayback Machine August 29, 2005 39% 42%
Field Poll Archived 2005-08-30 at the Wayback Machine June 13, 2005 40% 44%

Results

California gubernatorial election, 2006[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger (incumbent) 4,850,157 55.88
Democratic Phil Angelides 3,376,732 38.91
Green Peter Camejo 205,995 2.37
Libertarian Art Olivier 114,329 1.32
Peace and Freedom Janice Jordan 69,934 0.81
American Independent Edward Noonan 61,901 0.71
Republican Robert Newman (write-in) 219 0.00
Independent James Harris (write-in) 46 0.00
Independent Donald Etkes (write-in) 43 0.00
Independent Elisha Shapiro (write-in) 43 0.00
Independent Vibert Greene (write-in) 18 0.00
Independent Dealphria Tarver (write-in) 6 0.00
Invalid or blank votes 219,643 2.47
Total votes 8,679,423 100.00
Turnout   32.77
Republican hold

Results by county

Results showed Schwarzenegger won 52 counties while Angelides won 6 (Schwarzenegger won an absolute majority in 48 counties and a plurality in 4 counties while Angelides won an absolute majority in 2 counties and a plurality in 4 counties). Schwarzenegger won large majorities in California's rural counties, the populous Southern California counties of San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura, as well as populous Sacramento, Fresno, and Kern counties in the Central Valley. The results were closely contested in Los Angeles County and in Bay Area suburban counties. Angelides won substantially only in Alameda and San Francisco counties.[17]

County Schwarzenegger Votes Angelides Votes Camejo Votes Others Votes
Glenn 76.50% 5,775 18.82% 1,421 1.46% 110 3.22% 243
Modoc 75.20% 2,829 19.22% 723 1.25% 47 4.33% 163
Tehama 74.66% 13,442 20.36% 3,666 1.21% 217 3.78% 680
Placer 74.38% 91,972 21.61% 26,723 2.02% 2,501 1.99% 2,456
Shasta 73.92% 43,436 21.16% 12,434 1.38% 808 3.55% 2,085
Colusa 73.76% 3,665 22.22% 1,104 1.89% 94 2.13% 106
El Dorado 73.37% 49,771 21.43% 14,535 2.82% 1,911 2.39% 1,620
Sutter 72.73% 17,393 22.95% 5,487 1.49% 357 2.83% 676
Yuba 72.62% 10,122 21.33% 2,973 2.47% 344 3.58% 499
Amador 72.09% 10,755 22.48% 3,354 2.61% 390 2.82% 420
Kern 72.06% 108,253 23.64% 35,512 1.17% 1,752 3.13% 4,705
Madera 71.12% 21,416 24.82% 7,473 1.17% 353 2.89% 871
Tulare 70.72% 48,607 25.57% 17,571 1.17% 801 2.55% 1,751
Sierra 70.60% 1,131 22.03% 353 3.87% 62 3.50% 56
Calaveras 70.44% 12,691 23.69% 4,268 2.72% 490 3.15% 567
Tuolumne 70.18% 14,836 24.15% 5,105 2.69% 569 2.98% 631
Orange 69.70% 507,413 25.46% 185,388 1.32% 9,646 3.51% 25,584
Plumas 69.53% 6,160 24.76% 2,194 2.62% 232 3.09% 274
Kings 68.47% 15,683 27.70% 6,344 0.96% 219 2.87% 658
Mariposa 66.82% 5,074 26.14% 1,985 2.69% 204 4.35% 330
Lassen 66.03% 5,665 27.42% 2,353 1.84% 158 4.71% 404
Fresno 66.08% 116,534 30.39% 53,605 1.32% 2,324 2.21% 3,900
Nevada 66.03% 28,570 27.35% 11,833 4.58% 1,982 2.04% 883
Butte 65.82% 45,591 26.96% 18,672 4.20% 2,912 3.02% 2,093
Siskiyou 65.64% 10,916 27.75% 4,615 2.30% 383 4.31% 717
Riverside 65.49% 251,962 30.10% 115,803 1.12% 4,314 3.29% 12,665
San Diego 65.49% 509,059 30.22% 234,938 1.76% 13,653 2.53% 19,655
Stanislaus 64.91% 67,427 30.79% 31,981 1.53% 1,589 2.77% 2,875
Trinity 64.61% 3,819 27.31% 1,614 4.11% 243 3.98% 235
Inyo 64.39% 4,180 29.14% 1,892 2.03% 132 4.44% 288
San Luis Obispo 63.56% 61,842 31.42% 30,568 2.38% 2,319 2.63% 2,563
Merced 62.52% 26,231 33.43% 14,027 1.29% 543 2.76% 1,158
Mono 61.83% 2,315 31.41% 1,176 2.67% 100 4.09% 153
San Bernardino 61.63% 212,200 33.22% 114,388 1.27% 4,387 3.87% 13,326
Ventura 61.03% 134,862 34.30% 75,790 1.51% 3,329 3.16% 6,984
Sacramento 60.45% 218,889 34.16% 123,685 3.08% 11,170 2.31% 8,351
San Joaquin 60.32% 83,952 35.83% 49,868 1.46% 2,026 2.39% 3,322
Santa Barbara 60.01% 73,677 34.92% 42,880 2.56% 3,149 2.50% 3,075
San Benito 57.08% 8,208 37.55% 5,400 2.33% 335 3.03% 436
Lake 56.26% 10,930 36.19% 7,031 3.17% 615 4.39% 853
Del Norte 54.85% 3,639 38.15% 2,531 2.00% 133 4.99% 331
Napa 54.57% 23,187 38.84% 16,504 3.67% 1,559 2.91% 1,238
Alpine 54.23% 295 40.07% 218 2.57% 14 3.13% 17
Yolo 53.39% 29,073 39.91% 21,733 4.78% 2,602 1.93% 1,050
Monterey 53.33% 46,882 40.69% 35,769 3.01% 2,646 2.97% 2,609
Solano 53.15% 55,130 41.94% 43,501 2.12% 2,194 2.80% 2,901
Contra Costa 52.42% 158,565 42.50% 128,578 2.82% 8,529 2.26% 6,841
Santa Clara 52.16% 225,132 42.87% 185,037 2.53% 10,932 2.45% 10,554
Humboldt 48.22% 23,282 41.56% 20,070 6.71% 3,241 3.51% 1,693
San Mateo 47.12% 96,478 47.42% 97,092 3.33% 6,822 2.14% 4,372
Sonoma 47.03% 81,608 44.60% 77,392 4.98% 8,647 3.38% 5,867
Imperial 46.73% 10,363 45.21% 10,024 3.18% 706 4.88% 1,081
Los Angeles 46.06% 907,919 49.07% 967,149 1.88% 37,029 2.99% 58,979
Marin 45.81% 48,439 47.70% 50,441 4.47% 4,724 2.02% 2,139
Mendocino 45.41% 14,002 44.72% 13,790 6.06% 1,869 3.80% 1,173
Santa Cruz 41.99% 37,866 48.36% 43,619 6.83% 6,156 2.83% 2,548
Alameda 36.59% 148,322 56.54% 229,217 4.50% 18,236 2.37% 9,603
San Francisco 29.75% 72,722 62.72% 153,335 5.39% 13,186 2.14% 5,225

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Think it can't get any wilder?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 19, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2006.
  2. ↑ "CA Secretary of State – Primary Election- Governor of California – Statewide". Primary2006.ss.ca.gov. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  3. ↑ "CA Secretary of State – Primary Election- Governor of California – Statewide". Primary2006.ss.ca.gov. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Special Survey on Education" (PDF). ppic.org. Public Policy Institute of California. April 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 7, 2006.
  5. ↑ "RLS2193 for PDF.PDF" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  6. ↑ Report, Progress (August 17, 2011). "Penny Wise Pound Foolish – Cuts in Free Flu Vaccines". Archived from the original on May 9, 2007.
  7. ↑ "Angelides Pulls Even With Westly – Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 2006. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  8. ↑ "CA Secretary of State – Primary Election- County Status". Primary2006.ss.ca.gov. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  9. ↑ Demovic, Nghia Nguyen (June 2, 2006). "Secretary of State Bruce McPherson Predicts 38% Turnout for California Primary Election" (PDF). ss.ca.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2006.
  10. ↑ "Gubernatorial Primary Election". vote.ss.ca.gov. Archived from the original on June 23, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2006.
  11. ↑ "Schwarzenegger approval rating: 39 percent". ocregister.com. April 13, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2006.
  12. ↑ Halper, Evan; Rau, Jordan (November 7, 2008). "Gov. pushes hike in sales tax, big cuts". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  13. ↑ "2006 Governor Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
  14. ↑ "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  15. ↑ "2006 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  17. 1 2 "Governor" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. December 16, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Registration and Participation" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. December 18, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.

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