Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is preparing to challenge a proposal by his successor, Governor Gavin Newsom, to temporarily suspend the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission.
Schwarzenegger, the last Republican to serve as California’s governor, signaled his opposition on social media Friday. “I’m getting ready for the gerrymandering battle,” he wrote, alongside a photo of himself lifting weights while wearing a T-shirt that read, “terminate gerrymandering.”
The conflict stems from a plan unveiled by Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders to redraw California’s congressional maps, potentially creating up to five new Democratic-leaning U.S. House seats. Newsom presented the move as a direct response to an ongoing effort in Texas, encouraged by former President Donald Trump, to create additional GOP-friendly districts.
“Today is liberation day in the state of California,” Newsom announced at an event in Los Angeles. “Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back.” Vowing to “meet fire with fire,” Newsom accused Trump of trying to “rig the system” ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The Republican push in Texas is part of a national strategy to protect the party’s narrow majority in the House of Representatives. In contrast to Texas, where the path to redrawing maps faces fewer constitutional constraints, Newsom’s plan in California requires voter approval.
To proceed, Democratic leaders need a two-thirds majority in the state legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot in a special election. This amendment would temporarily return redistricting powers to the legislature for the next three election cycles before the independent commission is reinstated after the 2030 census.
The National Republican Congressional Committee condemned the proposal, stating Newsom would “shred California’s Constitution and trample over democracy” for political power. Newsom defended his actions as a “very transparent, temporary and public process,” arguing the plan is a necessary reaction to Trump’s directive to Texas officials.
Schwarzenegger’s opposition is rooted in his own political history. During his tenure, he championed the 2008 and 2010 constitutional amendments that created the independent commission, taking the power of drawing district lines away from politicians. A spokesperson said the former governor believes it is “truly evil for politicians to take power from people” and is opposed to partisan gerrymandering efforts in both Texas and California.
Public opinion polls indicate that the nonpartisan commission remains popular among Californians, presenting a significant hurdle for Newsom’s campaign. “It’s going to take a lot of effort and money to energize Democrats and motivate them to show up at the polls,” said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, noting that the success of Newsom’s effort depends on “motivating people who don’t like Trump.”
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