Arnold Schwarzenegger urged Californians to reject Proposition 50, denouncing it as a plan that would let state lawmakers reclaim control over redrawing congressional districts — a power voters gave to an independent commission to keep politics out of the process, Associated Press reported.
Supporters, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom, say the proposal is a response to Republican-led redistricting in Texas and could potentially result in more Democratic seats in California. Opponents argue it would undo previous reforms and give politicians more influence over the process.
Calling the plan «insane,» the former Hollywood star and political heavyweight said swapping one partisan power grab for another undermines democracy.
«Two wrongs don’t make a right,» Schwarzenegger told students at the University of Southern California.
The clash spotlights how gerrymandering — manipulating district lines for political advantage in the U.S. — has become a coast-to-coast fight, with California and Texas at the center of a high-stakes proxy war ahead of the 2026 midterms.
