BERKELEY — Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer, one of the most partisan Democrats in California, surprised political insiders on Saturday when he revealed that he had broken party ranks in the recall election to vote for Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In a speech at UC Berkeley, he said he opposed the recall of Gov. Gray Davis and voted against it. But on the second part of the Oct. 7 ballot, which asked voters to select a replacement for Davis, Lockyer said he chose Schwarzenegger because he was won over by the Republican's message of "hope, change, reform [and] optimism."
"I hope I'm not being conned," Lockyer said. "The people who voted for him hope they are not being conned."
His remarks caused a stir among the audience of about 100 political scientists, consultants and journalists who gathered at a forum analyzing the recall at Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies.
"Wow," said Schwarzenegger campaign strategist George Gorton. "Smart politicians are always ahead of the game."
Lockyer's vote -- while noteworthy because of his position and past -- was not uncommon among Democrats. A Times exit poll found that 23% of registered Democrats voted for Schwarzenegger.
Lockyer, 62, briefly considered running to replace Davis himself, but, like most prominent Democrats, ultimately decided to stay out. He has known Schwarzenegger for a dozen years, and supported the actor's 2002 ballot initiative that sought funding for after-school programs.
The attorney general is widely thought to be a probable candidate for governor in 2006. His most likely foe for the Democratic nomination, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, has emerged as a Schwarzenegger critic who has promised to lead Democratic opposition to the new governor. Both Lockyer and Angelides have stockpiled roughly $10 million in campaign funds for the 2006 election.
Lockyer attended Saturday's event with his new wife, Nadia Maria Davis, and infant son, Diego. Noting that having a child at his age has brightened his perspective on life, he wore a tie that quoted from the John Lennon song "Imagine." He cuddled the baby as he waited his turn to speak, seemingly unbothered by a spot of drool dampening his white shirt.
Lockyer shrugged off suggestions that his vote for Schwarzenegger would damage his standing among the Democratic faithful and undermine his support in the 2006 election, saying: "I'm just doing what I think is right. It is a new me."
