Schwarzenegger 'Not In It For The Short Term'

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (search) all but declared his intent Wednesday to run for re-election in 2006, telling a friendly audience that his job isn't finished and that he would announce his plans Friday.

"I'm not in this just for the short term. I believe very strongly in follow through," he told a supporter who asked whether he'd have the chance to vote again for the actor-turned-politician. "You sent me to Sacramento (search) to fix a broken system and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Aides said that an announcement would be made Friday in San Diego. But they would not confirm he had decided to run again.

The meeting with friendly Central Valley voters was the second in a series of campaign events this week aimed at generating support for his reform measures on the Nov. 8 special election ballot.

The governor is pushing three measures aimed at curbing the power of Democratic legislators and public employee unions.

He wants to set a state spending cap, extend the probationary period for teachers, and strip lawmakers of the power to draw their own political boundaries. Recent polls suggest all three are running behind.

The event Wednesday took place at a manufacturing company that is one of the area's biggest employers. About 300 guests attended the gathering, as a crowd of some 50 protesters demonstrated outside.

In an interview, state Treasurer Phil Angelides (search) said Schwarzenegger's goal had been to bring the policies of the Bush administration to California.

"From the day Arnold Schwarzenegger came into office he's done the wrong things for California," Angelides said. "He heaped debt on our kids, turned young people away from college and favored wealthy special interests over working people at every turn."