Former President Barack Obama made an ad on behalf of Governor Gavin Newsom, urging Californians to vote on a proposition that would likely eliminate several Republican-majority congressional districts.
“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,” Obama said in the video. “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.”
“Maybe in California this guy still has credibility, but the rest of the nation has caught on to his phony baloney,” the Republican Party of San Diego said in response to the ad. “‘Unchecked power’ — that’s what we’ve got with the Dem super majorities in Sacramento. Say No to Prop 50.”
California Republicans have called for the state’s Supreme Court to block Newsom’s (D) redistricting plan. Assembly member Tri Ta announced on social media in August that he “joined my colleagues in filing a lawsuit challenging the rushed redistricting process. California’s Constitution requires bills to be in print for 30 days, but that safeguard was ignored.”
“By bypassing this provision, Sacramento has effectively shut voters out of engaging in their own legislative process,” he said at the time.
California’s Proposition 50 “replaces California’s current congressional district maps with new, legislatively drawn maps,” the Legislative Analyst’s Office says. The maps would be used for congressional elections beginning in 2026 through the 2030 U.S. Census.
