"California has tried all manner of design in choosing its governor. Democrat Gray Davis, to name a recent example, had an extensive background in government and politics and a bland demeanor that suggested his first name was also a fitting adjective. Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, by contrast, was a novice candidate who ran for governor on a whim. His super-sized action hero persona dazzled Californians like the pyrotechnics in one of his Hollywood blockbusters."
"In the end, however, their political fates were the same. Both left office humbled, burdened with lousy poll numbers and facing a well of deep voter discontent. (Schwarzenegger, at least, departed on his own terms. He chased Davis from the Capitol in an extraordinary recall and won reelection before his approval ratings tanked during his second term.) There are roughly a dozen major candidates for California governor in 2026 and, taken together, they lack even a small fraction of Schwarzenegger's celebrity wattage."
California's upcoming 2026 gubernatorial contest features roughly a dozen major candidates who lack celebrity glamour and extensive Sacramento pedigrees. The field includes former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; statewide officeholders Tony Thurmond and Betty Yee; nationally known former members of Congress Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell; and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The candidates bring competent public-sector experience rather than showmanship. Recent governors such as Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger shared electoral success followed by diminished public approval, illustrating that celebrity or managerial background does not guarantee lasting public support. Voters seek improvements to daily life over entertainment.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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