Go back to Front pageSAN FRANCISCO -- After appealing to public fears over illegal immigration, crime and the future, Pete Wilson became one of the most unpopular governors ever to win re-election in California.
Despite his 15-point victory, Wilson's approval rating remains low, with fewer than one third of Californians believing that the governor did a good job in his first term.
By plumbing the politics of blame and resentment -- and capitalizing on the mistakes of his Democratic opponent -- Wilson managed to reassure nervous conservatives without losing the moderates who have made up his natural constituency.
By championing the successful Proposition 187, the controversial immigration-control initiative, Wilson solidified his standing with the right-wing of the Republican Party and identified himself with what became one of the most popular issues on the ballot.
As a result of his stunning comeback victory over state Treasurer Kathleen Brown, Wilson, 61, becomes a player on the national stage. Any governor of California, and particularly one who already has served in the U.S. Senate, becomes a potentially formidable national candidate.
Despite Wilson's repeated statements to the contrary, his name now appears on most experts' short list of Republican candidates for president and vice president.
With California's crucial presidential primary having been moved up from June to March 1996, Wilson will likely be considered at least a favorite-son candidate.
The last governor to pledge to voters that he would not seek the presidency was a former Arkansas governor named Bill Clinton. Clinton and Wilson, who tangled before this election over illegal immigration and Prop. 187, are likely to continue their feud between now and 1996.
In the debate over Prop. 187, Wilson and Clinton each accused the other of inflaming racial tension. With Wilson a staunch supporter of the measure and Clinton an opponent, illegal immigration is sure to remain a point of political contention between the state and federal governments.
During an interview Sunday in San Francisco with the Free Press, Clinton said that the cost of services for undocumented immigrants is a federal responsibility and that he would seek additional federal funds for California. However, he cautioned that other federal priorities in the federal budget might squeeze such a request for additional money.
Like Clinton, Brown also opposed Prop. 187. Although the resounding support for the measure may have helped widen the gap between Brown and Wilson, the race was likely decided by a different dynamic.
Although Wilson's job approval ratings gave Brown an opening to exploit, analysts and pollsters agree that she failed to give voters a compelling reason to elect her instead of Wilson.
As Mervin Field, founder of the Field Poll, said, the public decided to vote no on Wilson -- but could not decide whether to vote yes on Brown.
Ultimately, the public decided not to gamble, and Wilson was re-elected by a resounding margin.
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