Arnold Schwarzenegger Refutes Rumors About Senate Run

Variety

Arnold Schwarzenegger won’t be returning to political office after all.

Schwarzenegger in a Facebook post on Sunday said that while he’s “flattered” by rumors that he’ll run for Senate in 2018, he will instead be using his political muscle to focus on gerrymandering.

“I’m deeply flattered by all of the people who have approached me about running for Senate, but my mission right now is to bring sanity to Washington through redistricting reform like we passed here in California,” he wrote in the statement. “Gerrymandering has completely broken our political system and I believe my best platform to help repair it is from the outside, by campaigning for independent redistricting commissions.”

Politico reported earlier this week that Schwarzenegger, who was governor of California from 2003 to 2011, was being floated among California Republicans for a possible Senate run. According to the report, insiders suggested that he could run against longtime Senator Dianne Feinstein as an independent.

The report added that the speculation was “fueled by the former governor’s seeming ability to get under the skin of President Donald Trump on social media.” Schwarzenegger succeeded Trump as the host of NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice,” and often feuded with POTUS on Twitter over the role.

Schwarzenegger said earlier this month that he would not return for another season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” He blamed the reality show’s “baggage” for its struggling ratings, and cited Trump’s role as executive producer.

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