Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Governors bask in monied fans' adulation

Arnold and Jeb combine to draw big-pocketed fans to a fundraiser for the Terminator's causes.

By ADAM SMITH and S.I. ROSENBAUM
Published May 21, 2005

TAMPA - They are the only two governors to enjoy single-name celebrity status: Jeb and Arnold.

On Friday night, their paths crossed in Tampa at a private dinner at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. Admission to see the two political stars ran from $1,000 to $50,000; Schwarzenegger was kicking off a weekend of fundraising in the Sunshine State to finance his campaign for political and budget reform in California.

As supporters rolled in, it was hard to say which name was the bigger draw.

"Starstruck? This is politics," said Shirley Gerstenberger, a longtime Republican Party operative. To show where her loyalties lie, she produced photos of herself with the Bush family.

"If Jeb goes anywhere, I'm there," she said. "I'm a Bush lover."

Christopher Wollstein, 21, thought differently.

"I don't care about Jeb," he said. "Arnold Schwarzenegger is an idol."

In the lobby, a gaggle of hotel guests formed a semicircle around the main doors, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the governors. They were disappointed: Bush and Schwarzenegger were smuggled in through the back.

It is only weeks before the California governor must declare a special election to put his proposed reforms before voters - reforms aimed largely at bypassing the Democratic-controlled Legislature in California.

One of the measures Schwarzenegger proposes is independent redistricting - allowing a group of retired judges, instead of politicians, to decide where legislative and congressional district lines should be drawn.

Ironically, Florida Democrats led by former Education Commissioner Betty Castor are pushing for the same thing, arguing that it would make for fairer districts and more competitive elections. Bush opposes the effort in Florida.

Moreover, Bush has supported efforts to restrict the kind of ballot initiative that Schwarzenegger is pressing for.

Asked about the contradiction, Bush said the two states were too different to compare.

"The context in which we operate here in Florida is very different from the context in California," Bush said. "There's no conflict."

A campaign finance watchdog group in California noted that Florida Republicans have wanted to restrict out-of-state interests from bankrolling ballot initiatives with donations from Florida.

"Just as you don't want your neighbors telling you how to raise your kids, Californians don't want rich Floridians influencing our initiative process," said Ned Wigglesworth, spokesman for TheRestofUs.org, which supports citizens' initiatives but criticizes how Schwarzenegger has been raising money for the campaign.

Yet, with its many deep-pocketed donors, Florida is a frequent stop for out-of-state politicians. In addition to fundraisers in Tampa, Schwarzenegger will make similar appearances in Miami and Orlando, before moving on to raise money in Dallas and Chicago.

At the Hyatt on Friday night, supporters in evening dress nibbled hors d'oeuvres and sipped wine while they waited for dinner. In a corner of the lobby, items were laid out for a silent auction, including California state seal cuff links and an autographed DVD of Schwarzenegger's early hit, Pumping Iron. A cardboard cutout of the governor as the Terminator was starting at $500.

Asked which of the two governors had the most political star power, Bush paused.

"Well," he said at last, "I'm taller."

[Last modified May 21, 2005, 01:17:14]