Former President Barack Obama and California Governor Gavin Newsom are urging Californians to vote in favor of Proposition 50, a ballot measure that would replace the state’s independent redistricting system with a legislature-approved map projected to eliminate several Republican-held congressional districts.
On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X, “Listen to @barackobama,” sharing a new video featuring former President Barack Obama encouraging voters to support Proposition 50 in the state’s November 4 special election.
In the video, Obama says:
“California, the whole nation is counting on you. Democracy is on the ballot November 4. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. With Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks. Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, which preserves Independent Redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide. Return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.”
The ad marks Obama’s latest effort to promote Gov. Newsom’s redistricting plan, which would replace California’s independent redistricting commission — created by voters in 2008 — with a partisan-drawn map. According to previous Breitbart News reports, the proposal would reduce Republican-held seats in California’s congressional delegation from nine to five, even though roughly 40 percent of voters supported Republican candidates in the 2024 election.
Obama has described Newsom’s proposal as a “reasoned and measured approach,” writing on X in August, “Over the long term, we shouldn’t have political gerrymandering in America, just a fair fight between Republicans and Democrats based on who’s got better ideas. But since Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House and gerrymandering in the middle of a decade to try and maintain the House despite their unpopular policies, I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this. He’s put forward a smart, measured approach in California, designed to address a very particular problem at a very particular moment in time.”
At a fundraiser on Martha’s Vineyard, Obama praised the initiative further, saying, “We’re only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn’t go into effect.”
California Republicans have sued to stop Newsom’s plan, calling it unconstitutional and arguing it violates the 30-day public notice requirement for legislation. The California Supreme Court, however, ruled in August that the plan could proceed, allowing the governor to use a “gut and amend” tactic to fast-track the measure through the legislature.
The special election — estimated to cost $250 million — will ask voters to approve the new map and amend the state constitution to permit mid-decade redistricting. The Democratic National Committee has launched bilingual outreach campaigns in support of Prop 50 focusing on Latino voters, while major donors including billionaire Tom Steyer have funded multimillion-dollar ad campaigns promoting the initiative.
Polls indicate that a majority of Californians still favor retaining the state’s independent redistricting commission. A UC Berkeley–Politico survey found that 64 percent of voters prefer the current system, compared to 36 percent who support the governor’s proposed changes.
California’s redistricting fight is part of a broader national battle following Texas’s new “One Big Beautiful Map” which adds five Republican-leaning districts. Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder, through the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, have pledged to counter GOP-led redistricting efforts, characterizing them as “an existential threat to our democracy.”
from www.breitbart.com