Countering a national anti-Republican wave, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger easily won re-election in US mid-term elections after distancing himself from President George W Bush.
The former Hollywood star, a Republican first elected three years ago in an unprecedented recall vote, was virtually certain to defeat Democrat opponent, State Treasurer Phil Angelides.
On a night when Democrats took control of the House of Representative, Mr Schwarzenegger was leading by 28 points with 7 per cent of the vote counted.
The victory comes after the star of the Terminatorfilms scrapped a confrontational style that served him well as a champion bodybuilder and in movies but led to a complete defeat in a special initiative election last year.
Since then, a humbled Mr Schwarzenegger (59) turned on his considerable charm, no longer taunted Democratic legislators as "girlie men" and backed a series of bipartisan laws, including reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions.
He also distanced himself from Mr Bush. He did not meet Mr Bush during the president's recent California visits and has criticised the White House on issues such as global warming.
The new approach proved essential in California, where 42 per cent of the 15.8 million registered voters are Democrats, compared to 34 per cent Republicans.