SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is spending $2 million to send a 12-page mailer to about 5 million California voters over the next several days, urging them to follow his lead on the "most important" measures on the Nov. 2 ballot -- but notably not taking a position on the high-profile stem cell research initiative.
The mailer comes as the governor is featured in television ads opposing two gambling-related measures on the ballot, at a cost of up to $5 million.
Though all governors offer their views on ballot measures, none until now has launched so extensive an effort to influence an election.
Political experts say that, given Schwarzenegger's popularity and the many measures on the ballot -- one of the longest in state history -- his mailer could have significant impact. The effect could be greatest on the measures that attract little attention or money for television advertising, they said.
"There are people who sort their way through complicated initiative ballots who will be favorably inclined to listen to what he says," Democratic consultant Bill Carrick said. "It will work more effectively on initiatives where there is not much information."
The glossy mailer, being paid for and sent by the California Republican Party, will go mostly to registered Republicans. But at least some of the mailers will go to independents and Democrats, Schwarzenegger spokesman Rob Stutzman said.
And although the Republicans are paying for the pamphlet, the governor's stand differs from that of the party on three measures: the stem cell proposition and two competing initiatives, Propositions 60 and 62, involving California's primary election system. On each of the three, Schwarzenegger takes no position.
The Republican Party opposes the stem cell measure, Proposition 71. Both sides in the debate over the initiative have been wooing the governor and predicting that he would eventually side with them. Though Schwarzenegger still could announce a position, the absence of an endorsement in the mailer would limit the impact of any future move.
Proposition 71 would require the state to sell $3 billion in bonds to finance embryonic stem cell research. If the measure wins voter approval, California will spend far more on such research than the federal government and all other states combined. The grants would be given out to stem cell researchers over the next decade.
