SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Arnold Schwarzenegger, who once famously warned Republicans they were "dying at the box office," has decided not to support either of the leading GOP candidates for California governor, a spokesman said on Friday.
The former governor's decision to speak out against the candidacies of John Cox, a San Diego businessman, and Travis Allen, an Orange County legislator, stands in sharp contrast to his past refusals to weigh in on those who have followed him into office.
"They will not get his vote," said spokesman Daniel Ketchell.
Schwarzenegger's decision was based on the candidates' past statements about climate change, including California's current efforts to curtail greenhouse gas emissions that began during his administration in 2006.
"He won't support any candidate that plans to take California backward and undo our environmental leadership," Ketchell said. He would not elaborate on who Schwarzenegger might support in Tuesday's statewide primary.
The rejection of the GOP's leading candidates came after the former governor criticized President Donald Trump's endorsement of Cox. Trump had praised the candidate as someone who would "turn things around" in California.
Pointing out the state's GDP growth is higher than that of the nation overall, the actor-turned-politician suggested California was already winning.
"Instead of giving us advice, maybe you should learn from us," Schwarzenegger tweeted at Trump. "We don't need your endorsements. We are moving forward just fine without your help."
On Friday, he ratcheted up the attacks after a Bloomberg News report that the Trump administration wants the nation's power grid operators to purchase electricity from coal and nuclear plants. "I eagerly await the administration's regulations protecting pagers, fax machines, and Blockbuster," he tweeted.
Schwarzenegger also criticized EPA efforts to revoke the federal waiver that allows California to set vehicle emission standards.
"If Republicans won't stand up for California's right to clean our air, and they won't stand up against regulations protecting coal, they should leave the party to those of us who believe in the free market & states' rights and create a new Pollution Party," he wrote.
The timing of the strong GOP rebuke from Schwarzenegger, who had heart surgery in March, coincided with news that Republicans have officially lost their place as California's second-largest political group.
Registration data released by the secretary of state on Friday showed that through late May, there were 83,518 more unaffiliated "independent" voters in the state than Republicans. It was the worst showing for the GOP's share of the electorate in modern California history and was hinted at by data released three weeks ago.
Schwarzenegger recently helped launch a political action committee seeking to promote GOP candidates who focus on "free market" economic principles and issues from education to the environment.
