Gavin Newsom‘s brash new social media strategy has turned to one of his predecessors, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Newsom is campaigning for Yes on 50, a November ballot initiative to redraw California’s congressional districts in ways that likely favor Democrats. It’s a response to Texas’ move to redraw their maps, at the urging of Donald Trump, in a way that favors Republicans.
On X, Newsom highlighted a $1,000 contribution to the Yes on 50 campaign from Danny DeVito, who co-starred with Schwarzenegger in the 1988 movie Twins.
Schwarzenegger has vowed to campaign against Yes on 50, as he has long championed redistricting reform, with independent commissions drawing district lines rather than elected officials. Yes on 50 would sideline California’s independent commission, something Newsom has said is necessary to respond to Texas’ move.
A spokesperson for Schwarzenegger did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Schwarzenegger served as governor from 2003 to 2011.
Newsom’s social media efforts this month have mimicked Trump’s all caps, self-aggrandizing posts, in a way that has vexed some of the president’s allies and drawn attention across media platforms. One of the latest was the sale of merchandise, mocking Trump’s own hats and T-shirts. A Newsom-signed Bible, a riff on Trump’s sale of a $59.99 God Bless The USA Bible, has sold out, per the merchandise website, although it is unclear if it is merely part of the satire. Proceeds got to the Campaign for Democracy. Fox News’ Will Cain called Newsom’s efforts “a Xerox copy of others” that “works on the left.”
