California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has cast his latest “special election” as a referendum on President Donald Trump, but in reality, it is a referendum on his own failed leadership. The ballot measure, Proposition 50, seeks to enshrine gerrymandered congressional maps at a staggering cost of $250 million, even as thousands remain displaced by wildfires and the state bleeds deficits.
Newsom insists the maps are about “defending democracy,” yet California’s constitution clearly states that district lines must be drawn by an independent commission after each Census. Instead, Newsom drew maps first, then called a referendum later. His maneuver represents a blatant power grab, not democratic reform.
The timing could not be worse. California is still reeling from devastating wildfires, with many victims unable to rebuild due to lost insurance coverage and insufficient state aid. Despite boasting about fire relief, Newsom has failed to manage state land properly, leaving brush uncleared and reservoirs empty when fires struck. Federal agencies—not Sacramento—have led the cleanup effort, while private donors, not Newsom, raised $100 million in aid.
Yet instead of prioritizing recovery, the governor is spending hundreds of millions on an election that could have been avoided. He has also jeopardized California’s request for $40 billion in federal relief by repeatedly mocking Trump and suing to block his policies. While Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) pleaded for aid despite political differences, the state’s governor has made partisan attacks his primary focus.
Newsom’s political strategy mirrors his recall survival in 2021, when he rallied Democrats by framing Republican challenger Larry Elder as “Trump in blackface.” Now he is using Trump as a smokescreen once again, hoping voters will overlook his fiscal mismanagement and disaster failures.
But this referendum is not about Trump—it is about Newsom. California voters must decide whether to endorse his power grab or hold him accountable for years of neglect.
