Arnold Schwarzenegger emerges from retirement to battle Newsom over a ‘truly evil’ practice

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is preparing to campaign against Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts through a partisan gerrymandering effort.

The Republican former governor, who championed California’s independent redistricting commission more than a decade ago, is ready to defend his political legacy against what he sees as an attack on fair electoral processes.

According to Politico, Newsom, whose administration has faced other political controversies, wants to place a redistricting measure on the November ballot that would allow California to redraw its U.S. House maps before the midterm elections. The move is designed to counter similar Republican-led gerrymandering efforts currently taking place in Texas. However, implementing such a plan would require undoing the constitutional amendments that Schwarzenegger helped pass, meaning it needs voter approval to proceed.

Schwarzenegger’s opposition to the plan stems from his strong beliefs about gerrymandering practices. According to his spokesperson Daniel Ketchell, “He calls gerrymandering evil, and he means that. He thinks it’s truly evil for politicians to take power from people, a practice that even some politicians struggle to understand.” Ketchell added that Schwarzenegger opposes both what Texas Republicans are doing and the idea that California would engage in similar tactics.

Schwarzenegger’s redistricting legacy faces a new challenge

The former governor was the driving force behind two constitutional amendments that removed the authority to draw legislative districts from politicians and gave it to an independent commission. These measures, known as Proposition 11 in 2008 and Proposition 20 in 2010, created the framework for nonpartisan redistricting in California. After their success in California, Schwarzenegger campaigned for similar reforms in other states, including Michigan, Colorado, Virginia, and Ohio, with varying degrees of success.

Schwarzenegger is now preparing to take a leading role in a campaign to vote “No” on Newsom’s proposal. This effort would reunite many of the same groups and individuals who supported the original redistricting reforms. Key organizations such as the League of Women Voters and California Common Cause, which provided credibility to the earlier good-government efforts, are already challenging Newsom’s current proposal.

The campaign is expected to receive significant financial backing from philanthropist Charles Munger Jr., who was the primary benefactor of the original redistricting measures. Munger, the son of Warren Buffett’s business partner, has already begun commissioning polls and focus groups as he assembles a team for another ballot campaign. During Schwarzenegger’s governorship, Munger emerged as one of the California Republican Party’s leading financial supporters.

The upcoming redistricting battle could create an unusual political alliance. Schwarzenegger, who has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump and endorsed Kamala Harris in the recent election, might find himself campaigning alongside Trump supporters. While Trump would likely argue that a Democratic gerrymander threatens Republican political dominance, Schwarzenegger’s focus would remain on defending the integrity of nonpartisan redistricting processes.

Newsom expressed confidence today that he can secure the two-thirds legislative supermajority needed to place the redistricting question on a November special election ballot. However, he faces organized opposition from the architect of California’s current redistricting system, who remains committed to defending what he considers a central part of his political legacy alongside his work on climate change issues.