**Arnold Schwarzenegger Shocks Jake Tapper by Opposing California’s Gerrymandering Ballot Measure**
*Published: October 28, 2025, 7:24 p.m. ET*
Arnold Schwarzenegger stunned CNN anchor Jake Tapper when he revealed his strong opposition to a California ballot measure led by Governor Gavin Newsom, which aims to redraw congressional districts in a way that would reduce Republican representation. RadarOnline.com can now reveal the details of their heated exchange.
### Heated Debate Over Gerrymandering
The former governor of California clashed with Tapper, who asserted that the Republican Party was behind the initiative. Tapper explained the origins of Newsom’s controversial redistricting plan, stating:
> “This all started because of redistricting in Texas — and this was Trump pushing Republican-controlled states to throw out their current congressional maps so as to cook the books, so that … it is less likely for Democrats to retake control of the House during the next year’s midterm.”
When asked whether the Republican Party is initiating this, Schwarzenegger quickly fired back:
> “No, Jake.”
### Schwarzenegger: “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right”
Schwarzenegger acknowledged the problem of gerrymandering nationwide:
> “There’s gerrymandering — crazy gerrymandering — going on all over the country, and we wanted to try to stop it in California, and we did stop it in California.”
He harshly criticized Proposition 50, Newsom’s ballot measure, adding:
> “It is insane. It doesn’t make any sense to me that because we have to fight Trump, [we] become Trump. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
As governor, Schwarzenegger championed a 2010 state ballot measure that granted constitutional authority to an independent commission to draw congressional maps—taking the power away from politicians. Newsom’s Prop 50 seeks to bypass this independent commission and allow Democrats to redraw district lines, with ads claiming the need to counter Trump’s influence over gerrymandering in Texas.
Currently, California has 43 Democratic and 9 Republican congressional representatives. Under the new Democratic plan, the number of Republican seats could be slashed to just three.
### Calling Out “Extreme Gerrymandering”
Schwarzenegger voiced frustration over severe gerrymandering practices by Democrats in other states that effectively dilute Republican representation despite strong voter support:
> “There is such extreme gerrymandering going on that in a state like Massachusetts, it has like 40 percent of the people voting for Trump, they only — they have zero representatives. The Republican Party has zero representatives sent to the House — think about that,” Schwarzenegger noted.
He also cited New Mexico:
> “In New Mexico, 45 percent of the people voted for Trump and vote Republican, and zero [are] sent to the House, zero representatives from the Republican Party.”
### Schwarzenegger Breaks with Republicans, Endorses Harris
Schwarzenegger’s opposition to a plan designed to block Trump and diminish Republican Congressional power may come as a surprise given his Republican background. Despite being a moderate Republican during his tenure as governor, the Austrian-born star openly endorsed Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris for president in 2024.
In an October 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), Schwarzenegger explained:
> “I don’t really do endorsements. I’m not shy about sharing my views, but I hate politics and don’t trust most politicians.”
Acknowledging his frustration with both major parties, he added:
> “I don’t like either party right now.”
He then warned of a potential Trump second term:
> “It would just be four more years of bull—- with no results that make us angrier and angrier, more divided, and more hateful.”
> “We need to close the door on this chapter of American history, and I know that former President Trump won’t do that. He will divide, he will insult, he will find new ways to be more un-American than he already has been, and we, the people, will get nothing but more anger.”
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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s stance highlights the complexity of redistricting debates and raises important questions about political maneuvering on both sides of the aisle. As California voters prepare to weigh in on Prop 50, the discussion around fair representation continues to intensify.
https://radaronline.com/p/arnold-schwarzenegger-accuses-democrats-rigging-elections-jake-tapper/
