Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) will lead the push to reform the California Republican Party at next month's New Way California event, the Daily Republic reported.
In January, state GOP Assemblyman Chad Mayes formed New Way California, a group aimed at softening the party's image in a state dominated by Democratic voters.
Schwarzenegger and Kasich will give speeches and participate in panels at the New Way Summit on March 21 in Los Angeles.
“They will be focused on reminding the Republican Party we need them to be successful, but in order to be successful, they need to choose policies and messaging that helps them grow rather than continue to shrink,” Schwarzenegger's spokesman Daniel Ketchell said.
New Way California touts itself as being a bipartisan group that doesn't say "no" or oppose proposals for partisan reasons only, according to its governance principles.
It claims that Californians view the Republican Party as "intolerant, the rich, and big business," and the group says it wants to change that perception.
New Way Republicans believe compromise is the way to "achieve success" and wants elected leaders to "return to civil discourse."
For more than a decade, the California Republican Party has been declining and it currently holds only about 26 percent of the voter share.
In 2006, Schwarzenegger became the last Republican official elected statewide.
The state GOP has “failed to reach out to the average folks in California,” Mayes told the Press-Enterprise earlier this year.
The group is trying to differentiate itself from the traditional conservative GOP. For example, in a Facebook post, New Way California wrote, "Climate Change is real. California Republicans believe it and are working to address it. Yes, it's California. Republicans are different here. And we always have been."
Kasich, a Trump critic since his unsuccessful bid for president in 2016, has been touring the country and calling for political bipartisanship and civility in his speeches.
Schwarzenneger and Kasich have a long-standing friendship. The former California governor endorsed Kasich in his bid for president.
Mayes supported a Democratic cap-and-trade program, which led to him losing his GOP leadership position.
