New in CW 10.19.06

Schwarzenegger tops Davis, sets fund-raising record Late last month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger climbed past former Gov. Gray Davis as the most prolific fund-raising governor in California history. Since Schwarzenegger received his first contribution in the 2003 recall election, he has corralled in more than $110 million in political donations. While it took Davis from 1997 until 2003 to amass a $107.3 million in contributions--which funded his two elections and a failed bid to beat back the recall--Schwarzenegger reached the figure in almost half the time, according to state records. Over the last three years, Schwarzenegger has pulled in more than $94,000 per day, on average. Those totals do not include the $22 million of his personal funds he has spent on political causes, or the $4.5 million he has loaned his various campaigns. Capitol staffers hit the phone banks As the evening sun bakes the Sacramento skyline, 20 Democratic staffers are abuzz on the telephone on the ninth floor of the Senator Hotel. "Hi, I am calling on behalf of the California Teachers Association. The teachers support Lou Correa …" That's about as far as most of them get before the voice on the other line interrupts--or hangs up entirely. Then they start again, making hundreds of calls until long after the sun has set. It's part of the Capitol tradition of legislative staffers setting aside their nights and weekends as Election Day approaches to volunteer to help elect legislators of their particular political stripe.