Actor tops punker, Huntington High grad

Jenny Marder

A movie star, a homecoming queen and a punk rocker -- all three have

strong ties to Huntington Beach and all three ran for governor in

Tuesday’s landmark recall election.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 56, backed by 63.7% of the Orange County

electorate, snatched the gubernatorial seat with more than

3.5-million votes. Jack Grisham, lead singer of the punk rock band

True Sounds of Liberty and 25-year-old Brooke Adams, both Surf City

natives, pulled in 1,787 and 1,763 votes respectively.

Orange County overwhelmingly supported the recall. At noon

Wednesday, with 616 of 650 precincts reporting, 73% of Orange County

residents had voted yes on the recall.

MOB SCENE

For anyone who caught the mob at Huntington Beach Pier Plaza

Monday afternoon during Schwarzenegger’s final blitz of campaigning,

the results of Tuesday’s election would have come as little surprise.

Fans flooded into the seaside amphitheater to rally behind the

body builder and actor turned governor, complete with banners, rally

jingles set to Beach Boys tunes and Terminator-inspired surf

paraphernalia. Protesters were absent, save one lone rebel who hung

toward the back of the crowd, with a sign that read, “Arnold’s dad’s

a Nazi.”

Many Huntington Beach residents couldn’t wait to drop kick Gov.

Gray Davis out of office and usher in the former Mr. Universe to

replace him.

Resident Pat Bolen said she was “pumped up for some change.”

“I think [Schwarzenegger’s] refreshing,” Bolen said. “It will be

refreshing to have someone strong, who’s good in business and

accessible to the people.”

Bolen was not put off by the sexual misconduct allegations that

surfaced last week

“I think it’s hypocritical for anyone to bring it up because of

the president that just got out of office,” Bolan said. “This is

small potatoes if it’s even true.”

The day before the election Schwarzenegger ended his campaign in

the very spot he began two months ago: Surf City.

To a crowd of nearly 1,000 he recalled a day, years ago, when he

went for a stroll along the Huntington Beach Pier with Rep. Dana

Rohrabacher.

“[Rohrabacher] said remember, if you ever run for governor, nobody

ever wins the governorship without walking with me on this pier,”

Schwarzenegger said.

Remembering that comment, Schwarzenegger said he called

Rohrabacher as soon as he announced his candidacy.

“I said ‘Dana, can I walk with you on this pier?’,” Schwarzenegger

recalled. “I wanted to finish again in Huntington Beach and walk that

pier.”

Schwarzenegger pledged, in his thick Austrian accent, to reform

education, bring back jobs, protect California coastlines and tourism

revenue and cut taxes.

He offered few specifics, however, on how he plans to refuel the

state’s crippled economy or tackle these complex issues.

Schwarzenegger, who has never held a political office, was elected

Tuesday to replace Davis.

“Governor Davis terminated jobs, he terminated dreams, he

terminated opportunities, now it’s time we terminate him,”

Schwarzenegger said Monday.

PUNK ROCKER REFLECTS

Campaigning was a different story for Grisham, who had to use some

of the $700 he raised in campaign funds to buy a suit.

“The main problem was lack of funds,” said the socialist, surfer

and father of two. “We just couldn’t cover the kind of ground that a

lot of these people could.”

After 20 years of using his music to channel his rage against the

government, Grisham, 42, decided two months ago to try to change the

political system from within. As an average citizen, he felt that the

California recall, open to anyone who muster up enough signatures and

a $3,500 filing fee, was tailor made for him. Now, he said, his

previous views have been confirmed.

“It’s frustrating, because just look at what you’re up against,”

Grisham said. “I look and see how futile the whole deal is to try and

change anything or do anything.”

One of 135 candidates, Grisham said he felt that the circus-like

atmosphere of the recall took credibility away from candidates with

serious issues.

“Some of these candidates couldn’t have gotten press if they

robbed a bank,” he said.

Grisham called for welfare reform, support for single mothers,

alternative sentencing, a 3% tax on fast food and the legalization of

marijuana.

None of Grisham’s future plans are concrete, but his aspirations

include possibly running for local government or state assembly, or

starting a humanitarian organization.

“People said, ‘you’re writing songs about abolishing the

government and now you’re running for government?’” Grisham said. “I

told them, I’m running for good government ... Government’s not your

mom, it’s not big brother looking in on you, that’s not what it’s

supposed to be. It’s supposed to be about helping people who are

hurt. It should be more like a friend.”

STARTING OUT

Adams, who placed just behind Grisham with 1,763 votes, said she

doesn’t shy from the thought of running for office again.

“I’ve considered maintaining an interest in politics whether

that’s getting into city government, state government or national

government,” said Adams, a former Huntington Beach High School

Homecoming Queen.

Adams thinks she’d be valuable in Congress. Politics, she said,

needs people with more integrity and better listening and

communication skills than it has.

The future is wide open for the slim, blond advertising executive,

who said she’s also considering careers in reporting or psychology.

“A lot of people get into politics with an interest of doing good,

but easily become exhausted by the opposition,” she said. “People

need to be reminded about why they’re good at it.”

The young candidate advocated a flat-rate income tax, fewer

regulations on businesses and decreased government spending. She also

called for rolling back the car tax and limiting services to illegal

immigrants.

“I think this recall election has really awakened everybody’s

political senses,” Adams said.

* JENNY MARDER covers City Hall. She can be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at jenny.marder@latimes.com.