4:40In this Oct. 15, 2008, file image, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at a Yes on Proposition 11 press conference, which was also attended by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, positioned just to the left of the governor, in front of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles.David McNew/Getty Images, FILE
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who acted as California’s governor from 2003 to 2011, mentioned that he is "keeping an eye on" the ongoing Republican-led redistricting initiatives in Texas.
Having governed California as a Republican, Schwarzenegger has been a long-time advocate for anti-gerrymandering initiatives and is "currently observing the situation [in Texas]," according to his spokesperson Daniel Ketchell.
In this Oct. 15, 2008, file image, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at a Yes on Proposition 11 press conference, attended by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is visible just to the left of the governor, in front of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles.David McNew/Getty Images, FILE
His remarks come as Texas House Democrats have left the state in opposition to the GOP-led redistricting efforts. The Texas House of Representatives once again failed on Tuesday to advance the implementation of the Republican’s new congressional map, which could potentially yield Republicans an additional three to five seats in the upcoming midterm elections — seats that could be crucial as Republicans strive to preserve their slim majority in the U.S. House.
"He views gerrymandering as detrimental, regardless of which party is responsible, and has opposed it consistently since his first unsuccessful campaign in 2005 in California. He regards the successful initiatives of 2008 and 2010 as some of his proudest achievements. For politicians, this is about the upcoming election. For him, this represents a 20-year struggle to ‘terminate gerrymandering’ irrespective of the party at fault," said Ketchell, alluding to the actor’s famous role in "The Terminator."
During his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger championed Proposition 11, which established the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission. He continued advocating for similar initiatives in various states after leaving office. In 2022, he even submitted an amicus brief when the Supreme Court addressed the significant gerrymandering case Moore v. Harper, asserting that manipulating congressional districts for political advantage poses a threat to democracy.
Last Friday, the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, his public policy arm at the University of Southern California, hosted a webinar featuring political experts and key figures in the struggle — including Texas House Rep. Gene Wu, the chair of the Texas House Democrats. Wu is among the Texas House Democrats facing potential expulsion threats from Governor Greg Abbott after leaving the state.
In this Oct. 3, 2017, file image, former California Governor and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., following the court’s hearing of arguments against gerrymandering.AFP via Getty Images, FILE
As per a source acquainted with the panel from last week, Wu stated that one of the risks of gerrymandering is that elected officials do not feel compelled to heed their constituents since their districts have been drawn to be very secure — reflecting widespread national discontent.
"No one will be heard," Wu remarked. "Everything will just revolve around party politics."
Nevertheless, Wu, along with many of his colleagues, is supporting Democratic governors who are considering the option of redrawing their congressional districts to be slightly more favorable to Democrats.
In light of Texas’ initiatives, current California Governor Gavin Newsom mentioned last week that he had conferred with state legislators and congressional members regarding holding a special statewide election on Nov. 4 for Californians to vote on new congressional maps — ones that would likely benefit Democrats.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
