Caught in a downturn
Supporters say Schwarzenegger was the victim of the economic downturn, and that his low approval ratings mask a litany of accomplishments. The governor overhauled the state worker's compensation program and found billions of dollars to improve roads and bridges. His most lasting legacy, they say, will be his efforts to cap the state's greenhouse-gas emissions.

"If you look at this governor compared to all the other governors before him, he has accomplished as much if not more," said Adam Mendelsohn, a political adviser to Schwarzenegger. "People should not confuse his independence with an inability to build relationships. He's unafraid to take on anybody, and that's not easy for a lot of politicians to understand."

Schwarzenegger hasn't been seen much on the campaign trail since the June 8 primary, which suits some Republican activists just fine. "He calls himself the green governor, and I would agree with that," said Ira Forkish, who attended Whitman's victory party. "He's molding."

Fiorina and Whitman have kept their distance — especially Whitman, whose moderate political views have some conservatives calling her "Schwarzenegger in a skirt." It is a measure of the governor's unpopularity that she openly criticizes him, once telling the Sacramento Bee that despite a few notable accomplishments, "when you pull the lens all the way back, the truth is, the results haven't been very good."

Schwarzenegger has said he might not make any endorsements, which for him would not be unusual. Mendelsohn said his priority through November will be to defeat a ballot amendment aimed at suspending a landmark global warming law that Schwarzenegger views as one of his key accomplishments. Fiorina and Whitman have been critical of the law, which some conservatives have said will harm the economy.

"The legacy of that legislation will be one of economic wreckage," said Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.).

Go-it-alone style
Schwarzenegger's go-it-alone style put him at odds with the legislature. When he appealed directly to voters with ballot initiatives, he got mixed results. Voters approved measures backed by Schwarzenegger to do away with party-specific primaries and create more competitive legislative districts, which were aimed at bringing more moderate politicians to the fore.

But in the face of rising unemployment and state fiscal woes, voters rejected his efforts to remake the budget and take on unions. He also failed to gain consensus from interest groups necessary to pass universal health care, a goal of his administration.

In the waning months of his governorship, Schwarzenegger has fashioned himself as an old-style reformer whose radical agenda will be vindicated by history. Indeed, many of his most significant accomplishments, such as redistricting reform and the primary system overhaul, will be felt in the long term.

He is mum about what he'll do after his term ends in December. (He is barred by term limits from running again.) Some speculate he will move into an advocacy role, perhaps on the environment. At 62, it is unlikely he will squeeze back in his cyborg suit for the movies. But he will make a brief comeback. In August, he has a cameo role alongside Sylvester Stallone in an action flick.

It's called "The Expendables."