Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign comes to downtown
By Daily Press staff
Arnold Schwarzenegger has brought the recall circus to downtown Santa Monica.
It was announced Friday that Schwarzenegger, who is running as the main Republican challenger to Gov. Gray Davis in the Oct. 7 recall election, is setting up another campaign headquarters at 1338 Fourth St., in addition to his operation at 310 Main St.
On Friday afternoon, Schwarzenegger’s wife, Maria Shriver and the couple’s children, were at the space helping set up.
“Californians for Schwarzenegger” has leased a 4,700-square-foot retail space between Arizona Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, that will serve as the ground operation for the campaign, said campaign spokesman Sean Walsh.
Because of the enormous response of volunteers that have showed up for the campaign, the Schwarzenegger camp realized that the office on Main Street wasn’t enough.
The Main Street headquarters is located in an office building above Shatzi on Main — a property that Schwarzenegger owns — and isn’t conducive to high volumes of traffic.
“We were being deluged with people who want to help with the campaign,” Walsh said. “The new location will let us set up a ground game.”
He added that the downtown location will serve as the communications center and will allow campaigners to organize volunteers more effectively.
Californians for Schwarzenegger was represented by Craig Berrett, senior vice president of Muselli Commercial Realtors and the landlord, Wells Fargo Private Banking, was represented by Vince Muselli, president of Muselli Commercial Realtors, as well as Berrett.
“This space is a lot more amenable to the public,” Berrett said, adding the space, which used to be Shiva Imports, will be leased through the end of the election. “It’s good publicity for downtown Santa Monica.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 30, 2003. Read the original PDF.