Yet given Schwarzenegger's unpopularity -- a Field Poll released this week found 56% of voters not inclined to back him for reelection -- he was all but forced to veto the same-sex marriage bill. The survey found that 70% of Republicans were inclined to support him.
"He is in a world of hurt, and he needs to find some friends somewhere," said Democratic strategist Roy Behr. "The only people left supporting him right now are the most conservative people in the state."
Still, the enduring split among voters on gay marriage was apparent in interviews around the state Wednesday.
"We already voted against gay marriage in this state, and it just keeps coming back," said Marnie Bishop, 34, a Republican homemaker in the Central Valley town of Ripon.
In San Francisco, Armelle Cloche likened the Legislature's approval of same-sex marriage to historic civil rights breakthroughs.
"You should be allowed to marry who you want," she said. "It's not something that hurts anyone else."
Times staff writers Eric Bailey, Maria L. La Ganga, Richard Marosi, Monte Morin, David Reyes, Lee Romney and Robert Salladay contributed to this report.
