Arnie to be back on second term

California Gubernator Arnold Schwarzenegger all but declared his intent Wednesday to run for re-election in 2006, telling an audience that his job wasn't finished and that he'd make an announcement about his plans on Friday.

"I'm not in this just for the short term, I believe very strongly in follow through," he told a supporter who asked whether he'd have the chance to vote again for the actor-turned-politician. "You sent me to Sacramento to fix a broken system and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Aides said that an announcement would be made Friday in San Diego. But they would not confirm his decision to run again, reports Desert Sun.

Schwarzenegger also said he supported a separate ballot measure requiring public employee unions to get written permission to use members’ dues for political purposes.

“In principle, I’m all for it,” he told the audience. “But we have not endorsed it yet.”

Still, the governor made it clear that in his mind, the coming campaign would not be a battle between Democrats and Republicans but rather a fight between himself and the unions.

“The big union bosses have too much power in Sacramento,” Schwarzenegger said.

The two Democrats who have announced plans to run for their party’s nomination to challenge Schwarzenegger weighed in on his semi-announcement.

“I didn’t vote for him, but like most Californians I hoped that he would be bipartisan and try to solve problems.

"That didn’t last long,” state Controller Steve Westly said in a statement. “He has taken a hard right turn. The governor is attacking nurses, firefighters and teachers. … California can’t afford four more years of his politics or his policies,” informs Ireland online.