Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger criticized Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed redistricting overhaul on Sunday, calling it a “fantasy” designed to secure long-term Democratic control of the state under the pretense of “temporary reform.”

Speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union, Schwarzenegger said the measure, known as Proposition 50, would dismantle California’s independent redistricting commission — a body he championed during his tenure to prevent partisan manipulation of electoral maps.

The proposal, backed by Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders, seeks to replace the independent panel with a state-run process for at least the next decade.

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Schwarzenegger said the move would “undo decades of reform” and warned that the decision could set a precedent that spreads beyond California.

“Well, I’m not really the spokesperson for the anti–Proposition 50 campaign. I just want to defend the work that I have done, because we worked so hard to get the independent redistricting commission in California,” Schwarzenegger said.

“California was in the leadership on that issue. Then we went around the country, promoted it around the country, and actually convinced about 30% of districts to have an independent commission. Now, all of a sudden, they’re undoing all of that.”

He said both major parties are guilty of manipulating political boundaries but accused Newsom’s allies of pushing the country “in the opposite direction.”

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“There’s this war going on all over the United States — who can out-cheat the other one? Texas started it. They did something terribly wrong. Then all of a sudden, California says, ‘Well, then we have to do something terribly wrong,’” Schwarzenegger said.

“It saddens me to see that we’re going in the opposite direction rather than having an independent commission draw the district lines.”

Tapper noted that a CBS poll shows 62% of likely California voters support the measure. Schwarzenegger dismissed the argument, saying the proposal’s promise of a temporary change cannot be trusted.

“When they say this is temporary, there is no such thing,” he said.

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“The longest programs are government programs that are ‘temporary.’ Just remember that — if it is a tax program or if it is a redistricting program — anything that is temporary with government is permanent.”

He added that once Democrats take control of the process, they will continue to justify its permanence.

“In the year 2032, when the independent redistricting commission is supposed to come back, they’re going to say, ‘Wait a minute, there’s still gerrymandering going on in Texas, in Ohio, in Florida. We have to continue with the gerrymandering.’ That’s what’s going to happen,” he said.

“They will find an excuse. Therefore, I don’t think it is temporary. That’s total fantasy.”

Schwarzenegger said politicians should focus on “outperforming” their opponents rather than manipulating district maps.

“To me, it’s all about competition — competition creates performance. What they’re doing with the redistricting commission is trying to draw district lines in such a way that they get voted in no matter if they work well or not for the American people,” he said.

“So the American people get cheated.”

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When asked whether he blamed Republicans for starting the redistricting battle, Schwarzenegger rejected the idea, saying gerrymandering has been a bipartisan problem for two centuries.

“There’s such extreme gerrymandering that in a state like Massachusetts, 40% of the people voted for Trump — and the Republican Party has zero representatives sent to the House. Think about that,” he said.

“In New Mexico, if 45% of the people voted for Trump and vote Republican — zero representatives from the Republican Party. There’s crazy gerrymandering going on all over the country.”

Schwarzenegger said he originally established California’s commission to set a model for fair redistricting across the country.

“We wanted to try to stop it in California, and we did. Then we went around the country,” he said.

“This whole thing about finger-pointing — ‘They did it, so therefore we should do it’ — that’s not the way to go.”

The former governor said the focus should remain on fair competition and voter trust.

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“One party should outperform the other party. It should be about performance,” he said.

“If you really want to fight for democracy, why would you go and destroy the Constitution in California — tear it up and redo the whole thing? To me, it just doesn’t make any sense at all.”

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