LOS ANGELES If Republican candidates for governor of California are hoping for an automatic high five from the sitting governor, they ought not to get too comfortable.
When asked Friday after giving a speech on health care in which he highly praised President Obama and other Democrats whether he would ever consider endorsing a Democrat to replace him, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, It could happen, yes.
The governor offered no specifics on any particular candidate he might support.
Mr. Schwarzenegger, estranged from the leaders in his state party and at odds with some national Republicans on matters fiscal and environmental, remains a powerful figure in the national party, with his celebrity status and engaging speaking style. While low in the polls, he remains a governor voters are highly attuned to.