Arnold Schwarzenegger has thrown plenty of punches in his movie career.
But now the Terminator is gearing up for a political brawl that nobody saw coming.
And Arnold Schwarzenegger went to war with Gavin Newsom for one reason no one expected.
The Terminator isn’t backing down from a political fight
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is gearing up for a battle that could derail Gavin Newsom’s latest political scheme.
Schwarzenegger is reportedly preparing to lead a campaign against Newsom’s plan to redraw California’s congressional districts – and he’s bringing some serious firepower to the fight.
Daniel Ketchell, a spokesperson for the former Governor, didn’t mince words when describing Schwarzenegger’s position on the issue.
"He calls gerrymandering evil, and he means that," Ketchell told Politico. "He thinks it’s truly evil for politicians to take power from people."¹
Schwarzenegger has credibility on this issue that Newsom can’t match.
During his time as Governor, Schwarzenegger championed the constitutional amendments that took redistricting power away from politicians and gave it to an independent commission.
Now he’s ready to defend that reform against Newsom’s power grab.
Newsom’s redistricting scheme hits a major roadblock
Newsom announced his plan to redraw California’s congressional map as a direct response to Republican efforts in Texas.
The Democrat Governor claimed he was simply playing political hardball to counter what Texas Republicans were doing.
"It’s cause and effect, triggered on the basis of what occurs or doesn’t occur in Texas," Newsom explained to the Los Angeles Times. "I hope they do the right thing, and if they do, then there’ll be no cause for us to have to move forward."²
But Newsom’s plan faces a significant obstacle.
Since his redistricting scheme would undo the constitutional language that Schwarzenegger helped create, it would require voter approval.
Newsom would need a two-thirds legislative supermajority just to put the question on a special election ballot.
That’s where Schwarzenegger’s opposition becomes a real problem for the Governor.
The former Governor isn’t fighting this battle alone
Schwarzenegger is reuniting the coalition that successfully passed the original redistricting reforms in 2008 and 2010.
The League of Women Voters and California Common Cause – two left-wing organizations that typically support Democrat causes – are even challenging Newsom’s proposal.
When liberal groups that usually back Democrat politicians are opposing your plan, you know you’ve crossed a line.
These organizations helped give political cover to the original redistricting reforms, but now they’re breaking ranks with Newsom over his blatant power grab.
Ketchell made it clear that Schwarzenegger’s opposition isn’t based on partisan politics.
"He’s opposed to what Texas is doing, and he’s opposed to the idea that California would race to the bottom to do the same thing," the spokesperson explained.³
This puts Newsom in an uncomfortable position.
He’s essentially arguing that California should abandon its principled stance on redistricting reform to engage in the same political gamesmanship he criticizes Republicans for using.
Newsom’s timing couldn’t be worse
The Governor’s redistricting plan comes as Texas Democrats fled their state to prevent a vote on redrawn congressional maps.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded by directing the Texas Rangers to investigate the runaway Democrats for potential violations of state law, including bribery.
The optics aren’t great for Newsom.
He’s proposing to engage in the same type of political maneuvering that Democrats are literally fleeing Texas to prevent.
Schwarzenegger’s opposition gives voters a clear alternative – stick with the independent redistricting process that has kept politics out of map-drawing for more than a decade.
The former Governor’s track record on this issue gives him enormous credibility with California voters who supported redistricting reform overwhelmingly.
This fight isn’t just about congressional maps.
It’s about whether California will maintain its commitment to fair elections or abandon those principles for short-term political gain.
Schwarzenegger is betting that California voters will choose good government over political gamesmanship.
And based on his past success on this issue, that’s probably a smart bet.
¹ Politico, "Schwarzenegger to Fight Newsom’s Plan to Redraw California Congressional Map," August 4, 2025.
² Los Angeles Times, "Newsom Announces Democrats’ Plan to Redraw Congressional Map," August 2, 2025.
³ Ibid.
