Schwarzenegger out of California recall race
LOS ANGELES (CNN) — Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger will not run for California’s governor as part of the October vote on whether to recall incumbent Gov. Gray Davis, state Republican sources said Wednesday.
Schwarzenegger is expected to back Richard Riordan, a former Los Angeles mayor who unsuccessfully sought the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2002. Riordan said yesterday that he would not run if the star of the Terminator movies, who turned 56 on Wednesday, entered the race.
Davis faces an Oct. 7 recall vote that could unseat him. Voters will pick a successor as part of the same ballot.
The recall drive has been led by Rep. Darrell Issa, who hopes to replace Davis as the state’s next governor. Bill Simon — who narrowly lost to Davis in the 2002 election — and state Sen. Tom McClintock also are likely GOP candidates.
Political gadfly Arianna Huffington has said she is considering running as an independent.
– CNN Political Editor John Mercurio in Washington contributed to this report.