Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he will visit Michigan and Colorado before the midterm elections to lend his support for redistricting initiatives there as part of his continuing effort to end partisan gerrymandering, according to The Atlantic.
"People see that things are not going right,” Schwarzenegger said in explaining his backing for Michigan Proposal 2, which would create an independent redistricting commission. “Sometimes they express themselves by voting for outsiders. When they see that doesn’t work, they look for the next thing, ‘What else can we fix?’”
Schwarzenegger plans to host a rally in East Lansing this coming Saturday morning before the Michigan-Michigan State football game, according to WLNS.
Before the rally, he will also hold a fundraising breakfast, where tickets start at $100 and cost up to $5,000, with those who pay at least $500 getting a picture taken with Schwarzenegger.
Afterward, the former governor will also travel to Colorado for a rally in support of a similar initiative.
Schwarzenegger, who has also been pushing for redistricting in Utah and Missouri this year, admitted to The Atlantic that "this is not the sexiest subject in town," but stressed that "Everything you do is always a campaign. It’s always about showing your passion and fighting for it. The worst thing you can do is sit on your couch.”
Schwarzenegger has been keen on redistricting reform since the ballot initiative he pushed through as California governor in 2008. However, other than appearing at a rally for Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s 2016 presidential primary bid and supporting that state’s redistricting plan that passed in March, he has stayed away from campaigning since leaving office in 2010.