Obama pushes Newsom’s Proposition 50 forward of Election Day
Paul Gigot hosts a ‘Journal Editorial Report’ panel to debate California’s upcoming particular election to vote on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Prop 50, which some criticize as gerrymandering, and the upcoming Pennsylvania Supreme court docket justice retention vote.
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It is Election Day in California, the place a poll initiative will make a huge effect on subsequent 12 months’s battle for the U.S. Home majority whether or not it passes or fails.
California voters are deciding whether or not to go a poll proposition which might dramatically alter the state’s congressional districts, placing the left-leaning state front-and-center within the high-stakes political struggle over redistricting that pits President Donald Trump and the GOP towards the Democrats.
California state lawmakers this summer season authorized a particular proposition on the November poll to acquire voter approval to quickly sidetrack the state’s nonpartisan redistricting fee and return the ability to attract the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature. Early voting by mail within the contest has been underway for a month.
The trouble in California, which might create 5 extra Democratic-leaning congressional districts, goals to counter the passage within the dependable pink state of Texas of a brand new map that goals to create as much as 5 right-leaning Home seats. Failure to approve what’s referred to as Proposition 50 can be a stinging setback for Democrats.
OBAMA ENDORSES NEWSOM CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING PROP 50
California Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced a plan for a particular election to hunt voter approval for a brand new congressional map, on Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP)
Two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s seen as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is spearheading the push to go the proposition.
“If we lose right here, we’re going to have complete Republican management within the Home, the Senate and the White Home for no less than two extra years,” Newsom emphasised in a current fundraising enchantment to supporters. “If we win right here, we will put a test on Trump for his closing two years.”
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The push by Trump and Republicans for a uncommon mid-decade redistricting is a part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin Home majority to maintain management of the chamber within the 2026 midterms, when the celebration in energy historically faces political headwinds and loses seats.
Trump and his political staff are aiming to stop what occurred throughout his first time period within the White Home, when Democrats reclaimed the Home majority within the 2018 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump speaks within the Oval Workplace on the White Home Oct. 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photos)
Missouri final month joined Texas because the second GOP-controlled state to go congressional redistricting forward of subsequent 12 months’s elections. The brand new map in Missouri is probably going to provide the GOP one other right-leaning seat.
And North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature additionally handed a brand new map, which is prone to rating one other congressional seat for the GOP. Republican-controlled Indiana is on deck, with a particular legislative session getting underway this week.
However in contrast to these states, California voters must weigh in earlier than giving redistricting energy again to the legislature in Sacramento.
“Heaven assist us if we lose,” Newsom mentioned in a fundraising pitch. “That is an all-hands-on-deck second for Democrats.”
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Proponents and opponents of Proposition 50 raised a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in fundraising, with a lot of the cash being dished out to pay for a deluge of adverts on either side.
One of many two fundamental teams countering Newsom and the Democrats labeled their effort “Cease Sacramento’s Energy Seize.”
Stepping into the struggle was former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was the final Republican governor of California.

Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opposes the transfer by Democrats to droop the state’s non-partisan redistricting panel. (Tristar Media/WireImage)
Throughout his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger had a starring position within the passage of constitutional amendments in California in 2008 and 2010 that took the ability to attract state legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and positioned it within the fingers of an unbiased fee.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS WEIGH IN ON PROP 50 REDISTRICTING FIGHT
“That’s what they need to do is take us backwards — because of this it will be significant so that you can vote no on Prop 50,” Schwarzenegger mentioned in an advert towards Proposition 50. “Democracy — we’ve obtained to guard it, and we’ve obtained to go and struggle for it.”
However as Election Day neared in California, the Sure forces had dramatically outraised the No forces, and public opinion polling indicated majority assist for the proposition.
Even earlier than Trump initiated his redistricting push, Ohio was below court docket order to redraw its maps. That would increase Republicans in a one-time battleground state that now leans proper.
Republicans in GOP-dominated Florida are additionally mulling congressional redistricting. And Democrats in closely blue Maryland are weighing a redistricting push, whereas the Democrat-controlled legislature in Virginia is already pushing redistricting.
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Different states contemplating altering their maps are Democrat-dominated Illinois and pink states Kansas and Nebraska.
In the meantime, Democrats might probably decide up a seat in Republican-dominated Utah, as a consequence of a brand new, extra aggressive map, mandated by a decide.