LOS ANGELES: Californians rose up in political revolution on Tuesday, storming the polls in record numbers to throw their governor out of office and elect in his place action film star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Governor Gray Davis was swept out of office in a stunning defeat as Californians vented their fury over the state's sputtering economy and the career politician leading them, a man who once dreamed of winning the White House.

"We've had a lot of good nights over the last 20 years but tonight the people decided it was time for someone else to serve and I accept their judgment," Davis said in conceding the election to Schwarzenegger. He gave an emotional speech in Los Angeles, before supporters who booed the results.

"I am calling on everyone in this state to put the chaos and division behind us and do what is right for this great state of California," Davis said. "He will have the full co-operation of my administration in the transition."

The recall vote means that the nation's most populous state will be ruled by a Republican governor heading into a presidential election year - a possible boost for President George W. Bush.

With nearly 30 per cent of precincts reporting, 56 per cent of voters wanted Davis out while 44 favoured him. Schwarzenegger led his nearest rival, Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante, in the replacement section of the ballot by a nearly 2 to 1 margin, 50 to 31 per cent. Republican Tom McClintock was third with about 13 per cent.

If the numbers hold, it would mean that the two Republican candidates together polled about two-thirds of the vote.

First concession speech

McClintock conceded gracefully, saying "This is a great day for California. History will record that on this day in response to a common danger, the people of California rose to their duties as citizens and ordered a new direction for our state." His was the first concession speech of the evening by a major candidate.

Davis had called the recall a "right-wing power grab" and boasted that he would survive. But the political veteran with 30 years of climbing the statehouse ladder was beaten by a man who never spent a day in government service.

The historic recall election that only months ago was written off as a circus with 135 candidates - including a porn star, smut peddler, sumo wrestler and a muscleman with a foreign accent - became a watershed political moment.

Davis, re-elected only in November, became the first governor of California ever essentially fired by the people who put him in office. Republicans gained a critical bully pulpit in a heavily Democratic state with the 2004 presidential election looming.

The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger also appeared headed for a commanding victory. Voters embraced his lack of political experience and outsider status and shrugged off a blizzard of last-minute sexual harassment allegations by 15 women. The newspaper that printed the allegations, the Los Angeles Times, said it received a barrage of criticism and 1,000 subscription cancellations.

An estimated 10 million California voters cast ballots in the special election. This was 30 per cent more than voted in the governor's race that re-elected Davis last year and the biggest turnout for any non-presidential contest in state history, according to the Field Research Corp.

Recall them all?

Political analysts said the lion's share of the higher turnout was coming from disaffected voters galvanized by Schwarzenegger.

Experts said the "Terminator" star took advantage of the political landscape in California. They said voters felt ignored by their leaders in Sacramento and cut off from their government amid a worsening state economy that politicians failed to fix because of fierce partisan squabbling.

"If Californians had the constitutional right to recall all 120 members of the state legislature they probably would have done that too," Allan Hoffenblum, a Republican political consultant, said.

Analysts said that despite the news media's fixation on Schwarzenegger, the key to the election was not so much the action film star as it was Davis - a profoundly uncharismatic man who seemed passionate only about raising campaign funds and was estranged from many state leaders.

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 10/09/2003 page1)