Proposition 66 supporters dogged the governor's public appearances throughout the weekend, seeking out reporters to give them instant responses to Schwarzenegger's statements. But Yes on 66 campaign officials said they were overwhelmed by the size and scope of the No on 66 media campaign.
"The suddenness of it all was just stunning," said Sandy Harrison, a spokesman for Yes on 66. Harrison called attacks on the measure "flat-out false."
But he added: "Everything changed in the last few days. They basically bought up every inch of unused air time that was available. And the governor was just an awesome messenger for them."
On election night, early returns showed the measure passing. But the Yes tally lost ground as the night went on. At 11:30 p.m., Schwarzenegger took the stage at his Beverly Hilton celebration and declared victory -- even though 66 still held a slight majority.
After his speech, results began to show the number of No votes surpassing the Yes votes. A cheer went up from the district attorneys in one of the ballrooms. The clock read midnight.
Wilson stayed past 1 a.m., shaking hands and chatting with former aides now working for Schwarzenegger. "Our guys have been thanking both governors," said LaBahn, the executive director of the district attorneys group. "Wilson and Schwarzenegger -- that's a tough team to beat."
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Times staff writer Jenifer Warren contributed to this report.
