Can Schwarzenegger or Legislative Republicans Deliver GOP. Budget Votes?

One of the key tests of leadership in the Capitol is the ability to deliver votes. So what may be most interesting aspect of this  afternoon's scheduled vote on the bipartisan budget agreement is the number of Republicans that support it.

Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has consistently struggled to sway GOP lawmakers to support his budgets -- or for that matter, any of his initiatives. But with this budget deal, he seems to have bonded with the ultra-right. You can get whiplash watching Arnold change philosophies and tactics in the Capitol, and this latest reincarnation of his governorship may be one that Republicans embrace.

This also will be the first test for GOP leaders in both houses to show their leadership skills. That may be a challenge:  at least 16 Republican lawmakers have never voted for a state budget in their legislative careers, giving ammunition to  Democrats who rightly  label the GOP as "The Party of No."

Yes, Tom McClintock is gone. But there's still a hefty chunk of right-wingers who never met a budget they've liked.

Those legislators include: Senators Tony Strickland and Mimi Walters (including their terms in the Assembly) and Assembly members Joel Anderson, Connie Conway, Mike Duvall, Jean Fuller, Ted Gaines, Martin Garrick, Danny Gilmore, Curt Hagman, Diane Harkey, Kevin Jeffries, Steve Knight, Dan Logue, Jeff Miller, Jim Nielsen*, and Jim Silva.

*(Nielsen's votes prior to the 1970s were unavailable.)

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