CARSON Gov. Gray Davis on Thursday predicted he would prevail in the October recall election despite his slumping poll numbers and the surging popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a replacement candidate.

"Everything will turn out all right on October 7, but it will be a bumpy ride until then,' Davis said during a stop at Cal State Dominguez Hills to sign a bill creating a new African-American studies department at the university. "I trust the voters. I believe in their sense of fairness.'

During an appearance with African-American members of the state Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives, Davis likened the recall against him to the Republican-led effort to impeach former President Bill Clinton in 1999.

Davis said the recall effort is the latest in a national pattern of "Republicans trying to steal elections.'

"It started with Bill Clinton's impeachment, it went to Florida, now they're trying it in Texas and they want to steal another election here in California,' Davis said.

A recent poll showed 64 percent of eligible voters would recall Davis, with about 31 percent of polled voters saying they would choose Schwarzenegger as a replacement.

One hundred thirty-five candidates are vying for Davis' job.

Appearing before a largely sympathetic crowd, a feisty Davis said he is fighting the recall with the support of national, state and local Democratic leaders.

"Democrats are all united ... against the recall,' he said. "Look, I know that I am the captain of the ship, and if there's something wrong with the ship it's my responsibility, and I'm doing by best to fix it.'

Davis appeared on Thursday with state Assemblyman and former California Lt. Gov. Mervyn Dymally, D-Compton, who authored a bill creating the African- American Political and Economic Institute at CSUDH.

The institute will focus on the contributions African-Americans have made to politics, business, government, civil rights, science, history and education.

Also Thursday, the governor announced his opposition to Proposition 54, an Oct. 7 ballot initiative to ban the state from collecting racial data.