Countering US trend, Schwarzenegger seen winning

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 8 (Reuters) Countering a national anti-Republican wave, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger easily won re-election US media reported, after distancing himself from President George W Bush and taking a moderate stance.

The former Hollywood star, a Republican first elected three years ago in an unprecedented recall vote, was seen defeating his Democrat opponent, State Treasurer Phil Angelides yesterday. On a night when Democrats were seen taking control of the US House, Schwarzenegger was leading by 28 points with 7 per cent of the vote counted.

The victory comes after the star of the ''Terminator'' films scrapped a confrontational style that served him well as a champion bodybuilder and in movies but led to a complete defeat in a special initiative election last year.

Since then, a humbled Schwarzenegger, 59, turned on his considerable charm, no longer taunted Democratic legislators as ''girlie men'' and backed a series of bipartisan laws, including reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions.

''I operate with a different mentality than most people do, which is that I am very forceful and inpatient,'' Schwarzenegger said a year ago. ''Here in this capital and in this job as governor ... I think you have to be more patient.'' Schwarzenegger also distanced himself from Bush. He did not meet Bush during the president's recent California visits and has criticised the White House on issues such as global warming.

The new approach proved essential in California, where 42 per cent of the 15.8 million registered voters are Democrats, compared to 34 per cent Republicans. It also works at home, where the Austrian-born politician is married to Democrat Maria Shriver, niece of former Democratic President John F Kennedy.

Angelides, a liberal Democrat and former real estate developer, struggled throughout the campaign and even the state's leading liberal newspapers backed his opponent.

Far ahead in polls, Schwarzenegger dedicated much of his campaigning in recent weeks not to countering Angelides but to rallying support for more than 37 billion dollars in bonds to fund infrastructure including roads, housing and schools.

REUTERS PB VC1142