Schwarzenegger Blasts Newsom’s Redistricting Push: ‘Total Fantasy’ and a Threat to Democracy

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling out Gavin Newsom over his push to dismantle California’s independent redistricting commission — and he isn’t holding back.

Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, Schwarzenegger slammed Newsom’s claim that the radical shift in how congressional lines are drawn is “temporary,” calling it “total fantasy.”

“There is no such thing,” Schwarzenegger said bluntly. “The longest programs are government programs that are temporary… anything that is temporary with government is permanent.”

Newsom’s Prop 50 Under Fire

Newsom is pushing Proposition 50, a ballot measure designed to let the Democrat-controlled legislature redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. Critics say it’s a brazen attempt to add five Democrat-held seats in Congress — a move explicitly designed to counteract President Donald Trump’s redistricting wins in states like Texas and Florida.

Barack Obama endorsed the proposition last week, further revealing the national coordination behind the effort.

But Schwarzenegger, who helped create California’s independent redistricting commission during his tenure as governor, says Newsom’s plan is nothing more than political cheating.

“The American People Get Cheated”

“What the Democrats should do is outperform Trump,” Schwarzenegger said. “But what they do is go and draw the district lines in such a way that they get voted in no matter if they work well or not for the American people. So the American people get cheated on this whole thing.”

The former governor added that once power is seized this way, there’s no turning back — despite Newsom’s promise that the commission will return by 2032.

“In 2032, they’re going to say, ‘Wait, there’s still gerrymandering in Texas, in Florida… we have to continue,’” Schwarzenegger said. “They will find an excuse. So that’s total fantasy.”

“Terminate Gerrymandering”

Schwarzenegger, a longtime opponent of political map manipulation, posted a photo on social media wearing a shirt reading “terminate gerrymandering,” sending a clear message: no matter the party, rigging the system is still rigging the system.

Despite his fierce criticism, Schwarzenegger noted that he and Newsom remain cordial and have discussed the issue without personal attacks — but he warned that doesn’t mean the policy is any less dangerous.

“If you want to fight for democracy, why would you go in, destroy the Constitution in California, tear it up and redo it? It doesn’t make any sense at all,” he said.

Newsom Responds With Defiance

Faced with bipartisan backlash, Newsom didn’t back down. “Spare me the moral high ground,” the governor scoffed in response to Prop 50 critics.

But Schwarzenegger’s comments have cut through the partisan spin, reminding voters that what’s at stake isn’t just a few congressional seats — it’s the principle of representative government itself.

With Democrats openly embracing gerrymandering under the guise of fighting Trump, even former allies are warning that California’s so-called “temporary” redistricting could be a permanent stain on democracy.