Self-Proclaimed Governor of the People Is Fading as Lord of the Polls

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s style may be getting stale.

He’s too interested in PR gimmicks, many voters think, and should be putting more effort into dealing with legislators.

Fewer than half of Californians now approve of the way the governor is handling his job, a sharp decline since January.

Moreover, people think California has gotten off on the wrong track.

These are the findings of a statewide poll to be released today by the Survey and Policy Research Institute at San Jose State. It indicates that the Schwarzenegger luster is fading, especially among Democrats.

Other polls have found the governor to be slipping in popularity and the electorate becoming polarized as he acts more partisan and combative.

But this is the first recent survey to ask Californians how they feel about Schwarzenegger’s governing style of going around the Legislature directly to the people, often at elaborately staged, gimmicky events. His goals are to generate public pressure on lawmakers to accept his “reform” ideas, to promote his own ballot initiatives if the Legislature refuses to deal and to maintain his image as a political outsider.

“If he’s here [at the Capitol] too much, that’s not good,” says Rob Stutzman, the governor’s communications director. “You get co-opted by the system. His strength comes from being out there with the people.”

But the responses to this survey should sound an alarm for the governor, who intends to call a high-stakes special election in November for his reforms and is widely expected to run for a second term next year.

The nonpartisan poll was directed by Phil Trounstine, a former communications director for Gov. Gray Davis and longtime political writer for the San Jose Mercury News. In all, 1,030 adults were interviewed, including 736 registered voters. There’s an error margin of roughly 3% for all those surveyed, about 4% for voters. Interviews were conducted March 28-April 1.

Voters were read these statements, with the order rotated from call to call, and asked to agree or disagree:

* “He’s doing a good job of working with legislators and getting things done.” Agree 43%, disagree 43%.

* “He’s right to bypass lawmakers and focus on his ballot initiatives.” Agree 38%, disagree 47%.

* “He’s too interested in gimmicks, public relations and image.” Agree 49%, disagree 41%.

* “He should be putting more effort into working with legislators so he’d get more done.” Agree 62%, disagree 25%. Even Republicans agree, 49% to 34%.

Stutzman says, “He gave them proposals and the legislators still haven’t responded.”

The voter groups most sour on Schwarzenegger are Democrats and women, L.A. and Bay Area residents, blacks, Latinos and Asians. No surprises there. But it’s significant that independents tilt slightly against him. Republicans remain his biggest boosters.

The governor’s job performance is approved by 49% of voters, disapproved by 38%. His rating is worse among all adults: 43% approval, 43% disapproval -- a steep slide since it was 59%-26% in January. Polls last year had shown Schwarzenegger with stratospheric job ratings in the high 60s.

People also were asked a standard question about whether they think “things in California are going in the right direction or are they seriously off on the wrong track.” Only 39% answered right direction; 49% said wrong track. In January, it was almost reversed: 52% right track, 35% wrong direction.

“There’s this problem the governor has,” Trounstine says. “He’s mediagenic. He’s a very effective spokesperson. The more he argues that California has these terrible problems that have to be fixed, the more he convinces people the state is going in the wrong direction. It’s a double-edged sword.”

Terry Christensen, a San Jose State political science professor, is one of many who contends that Schwarzenegger made “a tactical error” by attacking popular nurses, teachers, firefighters and cops. The governor insists he’s only assailing their “special interest” unions. But that’s a hard-to-grasp, tricky nuance.

The unions have countered with anti-Schwarzenegger TV ads and protest demonstrations that are bound to affect polls.

Ken Khachigian, a longtime GOP strategist and speechwriter for two presidents, says Schwarzenegger “could use some fresh rhetoric. His language is getting a little overused. It was working a year ago, but this mantra about ‘special interests’ isn’t working now....

“It’s time for him to give a real thoughtful, contemplative speech about where we are in California and the obligation we have to get us back on the right track.... He can go after the Legislature, but it should be in a more high-minded, contemplative way.”

Or, as former GOP consultant Allan Hoffenblum says, “We’re looking for a governor, not a Terminator.”

Asserts Claremont McKenna political scientist Jack Pitney, a former staffer for the Republican National Committee: “It was normal that the excitement of the early days wasn’t going to last. People even get used to a Schwarzenegger administration.

“He’s going to have to adapt. He may have to moderate his style. Use fewer [stage] gimmicks. But he’s capable. That’s the story of his whole career.”

A little script freshening would help. Voters like to be talked to seriously, not down to. There should be more scenes in the Capitol. Even if the Legislature isn’t a costar, it’s a coequal branch. Americans instinctively understand that.

George Skelton writes Monday and Thursday. Reach him at george.skelton@latimes.com.