Even when Arnold Schwarzenegger told NBC's Jay Leno "I know they're going to throw everything at me" after he revealed his decision to run for California's governorship, he did not really expect what was to follow.

The opposition and a ravenous media has scooped out details from his election record (he voted for only 3 statewide elections out of eight) to seedy pictures (one currently doing the Internet rounds shows a bare-breasted lady atop his shoulders) to a Nazi past (his Austrian parents were members of the party).

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But the superstar-turned-candidate has won an overwhelming amount of support from his fans and friends who swear by his ability to be a good governor. One such is Hollywood producer Ashok Amritraj who said he would 'support' his 'friend.'

Through Amritraj has not made any movies with the 'Terminator' they came together to work on an action movie Ump, which did not materialise due to conflict in schedules. However, the two spent enough time together for Amritraj to make up his mind about Arnold's statesmanship.

"He is an exceptionally smart and well-spoken guy," Amritraj, who has produced more than 80 movies, told rediff.com

"We came very close while working on [Ump]. I think he has managed his career very well. He came all the way from Austria and since then he has come a long way from being a body builder to an actor to an international personality. He is also a very smart investor especially in real estate."

The gubernatorial race in what is the 6th largest economy in the world -- it is also home to the largest Indian population outside the country -- has drawn hundreds of candidates from a striptease dancer to a porn publisher to a pig farmer.

Among them are two Indian Americans -- Tony Srivastava, owner of a travel agency and Vikramjit S Bajwa, a real estate businessman.

Srivastava -- who has collected more than 300 signatures for his campaign, which needs a minimum of 65 -- told rediff.com that he would consider throwing his support behind Schwarzenegger if 'the entire Republican Party goes behind [him]'.

"If Schwarznegger is willing to listen to me and do something about my ideas then I might support him, otherwise I will stand for my own beliefs."