Architect of Schwarzenegger recall survives a recall (well, re-election) of his own

The president of California's powerful prison guard union easily won re-election today, validating his decision to wage a recall campaign against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Mike Jimenez beat out two other candidates at the California Correctional Peace Officers Assn. convention in Las Vegas and immediately vowed to continue the recall effort.

The recall had caused dissension among the more than 30,000 members of the union, but in the end they decided to give their combative president a vote of confidence.

For years, the union and governor have been at odds over the provisions of a new contract. The animosity heightened last fall when Schwarzenegger invoked a rarely used provision of state law allowing him to impose unilaterally new working conditions in the absence of a deal.

The union has been a powerful player in Sacramento, its influence fueled by the millions of dollars in campaign money it can contribute.

-- Michael Rothfeld