It’s two days after California constituents elected Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor, and I think I am the only person on campus who responds to the can-you-believe-it questions with a very blunt ‘yes.’

I’m from Minnesota, the benign Midwestern state that isn’t known for much besides its lakes and farmland. Back home, we too had our democratic melee when Jesse Ventura, a former pro wrestler, was voted governor in November 1998.

And now, watching California giggle wondrously in the aftermath, I have come to realize that Minnesota, a state so often lagging behind the latest trends, set a national precedent for electing novelty politicians to high office.

Schwarzenegger and Ventura came into office via the same voter mentality. In Minnesota, a feisty Democrat-vs.-Republican campaign exhausted its voters, and they saw relief in Ventura’s idealism. California residents expect an $8 billion deficit next year, and 72 percent of California voters said they didn’t approve of the way Davis governed, according to NBC exit polls. In comparison, Schwarzenegger is a breath of fresh air.

Ventura promised to refresh Minnesotan politics as well. But his approach is what killed him.

Politics is a tedious business, which is evident to anyone who has ever tried to sit through more than five minutes of C-SPAN. There is little glamour in signing bills and chairing meetings.

To compensate, Ventura created his own drama by creating conflicts with the media. He still made wrestling cameos and took his role in Fox’s Extreme Football League more seriously than the state’s budget crises.

Californians heard the new governor’s ‘I will not raise taxes’ and ‘I will not disappoint you’ chants after he won the election. Schwarzenegger is known for action. His movies are easily identified by elaborate pyrotechnics and suspense.

In their victory speeches, both Ventura and Schwarzenegger promised to give up their old lives for politics. ‘My mind isn’t in movies at all,’ Schwarzenegger stressed last night.

And if he can uphold his promise, I will reflect upon my former governor’s plight and commend The Terminator more than anyone. California could use some economic enlightenment, and Schwarzenegger is in the perfect position to establish the reputation of novelty politicians.

Katy Stech is a sophomore newspaper major. E-mail her at kastech@syr.edu.

Published on October 8, 2003 at 12:00 pm