California governor Mr Gray Davis has renewed his attacks on gubernatorial hopeful Mr Arnold Schwarzenegger amid fresh reports of sexual misconduct by the actor and a poll showing erosion in support to recall Mr Davis.
Mr Davis charged into the final stage of the recall battle - the vote is tomorrow - demanding Mr Schwarzenegger, his chief rival for the state's top job in Tuesday's recall election, explain in detail what was behind the sexual harassment charges he now faces.
At least 15 women have alleged Mr Schwarzenegger groped or harassed them, as recently as 2000, with four fresh allegations emerging on Saturday, the Los Angeles Timesreported.
What began as a Republican-led protest over Mr Davis'shandling of the state's ailing economy has become a referendum on the bodybuilder-turned-Hollywood star, his treatment of women, and his alleged qualified praise for Adolf Hitler.
Mr Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has accused Mr Davis and others of engaging in "puke" politics" and told interviewer ABC anchor Mr Peter Jennings that the late revelations were nothing more than "campaign trickery".
Mr Davis, who appeared yesterday at a rally at a Los Angeles hospital to mark his signing of bill mandating employer-provided health insurance for a million workers, stayed on the attack against his leading rival.
"The question gets down to this: Are 15 women and their families lying, or is Mr Schwarzenegger not telling the truth?," Mr Davis told supporters.
The Democrats have drafted former President Bill Clinton, former vice president Al Gore, West Wingstar Martin Sheen and pop diva Barbra Streisand to tape phone messages aimed at the wayward Democrats who have said they support recalling Mr Davis.
Mr Davis appeared emboldened by a second consecutive internal poll showing support for the recall waning and below 50 per cent - with just 49 per cent in favour.