Arnold Schwarzenegger has launched a blistering attack on California's Proposition 50, calling the measure “a big scam” during an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher. The former governor argued that the initiative, introduced in response to Republican redistricting efforts in Texas, would strip power from the state's voters and hand it back to politicians.
Speaking ahead of the crucial midterm elections, Schwarzenegger, a Republican, insisted he was not acting as a party loyalist. “I'm not a Republican hack. I'm not a political hack. I don't serve the party, I always serve the people,” he said. He added that Democrats should win the House “because of their performance”, not through what he characterised as political manipulation.
The former governor voiced strong support for the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission, which was established in 2010 with his backing. He warned against undoing the safeguards it provides, saying: “We cannot undo something and rip away the power that the people in California have and give it back to the politicians.”
The debate over Proposition 50 follows Governor Gavin Newsom's “Election Rigging Response Act”, which was prompted by controversial redistricting in Texas. The measure has drawn sharp partisan reactions, and in August Newsom mocked Schwarzenegger on social media after the actor Danny DeVito made a $1,000 donation to the Yes on 50 campaign.
Schwarzenegger's comments reflect a broader national clash over gerrymandering, with accusations of hypocrisy from both sides. Yet he maintained that the people, not parties, must ultimately prevail.
