Even with a blitz of media coverage, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger trails his main Democratic opponent in the California recall vote to replace Governor Gray Davis, a poll released today found.
A Field Poll showed Lieutenant Governor Mr Cruz Bustamante, who broke ranks with fellow Democrat Davis to put his name on the ballot, attracted 25 per cent support of 629 registered voters surveyed, compared to 22 per cent for the star of the Terminatorfilms.
The results indicate that two conservative Republican candidates, state Senator Bill McClintock and businessman Mr Bill Simon, could siphon off enough Republican support to cost Schwarzenegger the California governorship.
The Field Poll, which had a five point margin of error, showed Mr McClintock with nine per cent support and Mr Simon - who Mr Davis beat in the regularly scheduled November 2002 election - with eight per cent of total likely voters.
Schwarzenegger's campaign downplayed the results.
"The Field Poll traditionally tilts left. There are four public polls now that have been out this week, three of them show Arnold leading Bustamante," spokesman Mr Rob Stutzman said.
"Schwarzenegger's image is also mixed and partisan," pollsters Mr Mark DiCamillo and Mr Mervin Field said in their analysis. "Among the overall electorate, 44 per cent view the movie actor favourably, but 40 per cent have an unfavourable opinion of him."
Schwarzenegger has worked to build an all star cast this week by announcing that billionaire Mr Warren Buffett, former US Secretary of State George Shultz and actor Rob Lowe would be working with his campaign.