As Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) heads into what could be the political fight of his career -- the battle over his slate of referenda, which includes a mid-census redistricting plan -- his numbers are down in the doldroms. The Public Policy Institute of California has the latest polling results.

Heading into an election that bears heavily on the future of his political career, Governor Schwarzenegger’s approval ratings are at a low point. Currently, over half (54%) of Californians disapprove of the way he is handling his job, while only one-third (34%) approve (among likely voters, 50% disapprove, 41% approve). In his effort to reform state government, the governor receives similarly poor reviews – 35 percent approve but 50 percent disapprove of his performance. This is a sharp decline from earlier this year when 58 percent approved and only 30 percent disapproved of his reform efforts (see PPIC Statewide Survey, January 2005). Among residents, Latinos are especially negative in their assessment of the governor’s overall performance (73% disapprove, 17% approve). And overall, nearly six in 10 Californians say the state is generally going in the wrong direction.

Schwarzenegger's numbers are actually lower than those of President Bush in the state. Go figure.