Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California, has long campaigned against partisan rigging of electoral districts and is not about to stop now.
Schwarzenegger was shocked when he saw how unfairly the state’s electoral boundaries were carved up during his first term as governor.
“For a long time I thought that was something that happened way back in the 1800s,” Schwarzenegger said in a 2005 address to the state, “but the practice is still alive and well today.”
He described the gerrymandered districts as “a ghastly-looking, multi-headed, insect-like polygon with 385 sides” and noted that the system was “rigged to benefit the interests of those in office… not the interests of those who put them there.”
Schwarzenegger’s experience with gerrymandering led him to propose appointing a panel of judges to take over from the state legislature in redrawing district lines.
When that was rejected by voters, he advocated for an independent redistricting commission, which began redrawing state legislative lines in 2008 and congressional district lines in 2010.
This reform has proved enduringly popular with voters and has made California one of the most competitive states in the union for seats in the US House of Representatives.
Now, Schwarzenegger is gearing up to fight against California Governor Gavin Newsom’s initiative to suspend the independent commission and add five Democrat-leaning districts in the state.
Newsom’s plan, known as the Election Rigging Response Act, is seen as a response to Texas Republicans’ decision to redraw their state maps to add more Republican-leaning congressional districts.
Schwarzenegger is determined to thwart Newsom’s plan, saying, “we are not going to go into a stinking contest with a skunk. We are moving forward.” To emphasize his point, Schwarzenegger appeared in a T-shirt that read: “F*** the politicians, terminate gerrymandering.”
Schwarzenegger has started tapping into his old political networks to set up a campaign and fundraising machine to defeat Newsom’s Proposition 50.
According to his staff, he is planning a major policy address in September to launch his campaign. The issue is energizing Republicans across California, with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy aiming to raise over $100 million to defeat Newsom’s initiative.
Charles Munger Jr, the billionaire son of Warren Buffett’s longtime business partner, has pledged $30 million towards the same effort.
The California Young Republican Federation has described Newsom’s initiative as a “dangerous power grab,” and Steve Hilton, a leading Republican candidate running to succeed Newsom next year, is helping to spearhead a legal challenge.
The League of Women Voters of California has warned that Newsom’s initiative could lead to long-term damage to democratic norms.
Schwarzenegger’s campaign against Newsom’s initiative may be the most powerful weapon in the anti-Newsom arsenal, given his reputation as a moderate Republican and his long-standing commitment to independent redistricting commissions.