A year after his crushing defeat in the special election, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won a second term Tuesday by a landslide over Democrat Phil Angelides, and voters passed a vast bond package that launches California's biggest public construction boom in decades.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Dianne Feinstein won reelection in a romp over Republican challenger Richard Mountjoy. Another Democrat, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, won the race for attorney general, a new milestone in the former governor's zigzag career path.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday November 09, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 44 words Type of Material: Correction
State-by-state election results: In some editions of Wednesday's Section A, a chart labeled "The nation at a glance" said that heading into the election, 231 House seats were held by the GOP and two seats were open. The GOP held 229; four were open.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday November 15, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 46 words Type of Material: Correction
Susan Kennedy: An article in the Nov. 8 Section A on California election results reported that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's chief of staff, Susan Kennedy, held the same job under Gov. Gray Davis. In the Davis administration, she was Cabinet secretary and, later, deputy chief of staff.
Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the Democrat who lost his bid for governor in the 2003 recall, suffered another defeat in his campaign for state insurance commissioner. The Republican winner was Silicon Valley businessman Steve Poizner. I
In the contest for state treasurer, Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer, a Democrat, trounced Republican rival Claude Parrish. The Democrat running for state controller, John Chiang, widened his narrow lead early this morning over Republican Tony Strickland.
Two other races were neck-and-neck: the battle for lieutenant governor between Republican Tom McClintock and Democrat John Garamendi, and the contest for secretary of state between Republican incumbent Bruce McPherson and Democratic challenger Debra Bowen. Democrats in both of those contests gained a slight edge as the vote count proceeded beyond midnight.
For Schwarzenegger, the huge victory over Democratic challenger Angelides ran against a political tide that swamped other Republicans across the nation, costing the GOP control of the U.S. House of Representatives and threatening its hold on the Senate.
At his Beverly Hilton victory party in Beverly Hills, Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver, introduced him to hundreds of cheering supporters as a man "of the people, by the people and for the people."
With that, jets of air sprayed the ballroom with green, orange and white confetti, and Schwarzenegger ascended the stage.
Just after 10 p.m., he told the crowd that Angelides had conceded in a "very gracious and very kind phone call." Over the next four years, he vowed: "I will protect your values and I will protect your dreams.
"What a fantastic evening," he said. "You know I love doing sequels."
Earlier, in a private VIP room, Schwarzenegger greeted well-wishers, including such celebrities as actors Rob Lowe and Sylvester Stallone.
