Former President Barack Obama and California Governor Gavin Newsom are urging Californians to vote in favor of Proposition 50, a poll measure that will change the state’s unbiased redistricting system with a legislature-approved map projected to get rid of a number of Republican-held congressional districts.
On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom posted on X, “Listen to @barackobama,” sharing a brand new video that includes former President Barack Obama encouraging voters to assist Proposition 50 within the state’s November 4 particular election.
In the video, Obama says:
“California, the entire nation is relying on you. Democracy is on the poll November 4. Republicans need to steal sufficient seats in Congress to rig the subsequent election and wield unchecked energy for 2 extra years. With Prop 50, you’ll be able to cease Republicans of their tracks. Prop 50 places our elections again on a degree enjoying subject, which preserves Independent Redistricting over the long run, and lets the folks determine. Return your poll in the present day. Vote sure on 50.”
The advert marks Obama’s newest effort to advertise Gov. Newsom’s redistricting plan, which might change California’s unbiased redistricting fee — created by voters in 2008 — with a partisan-drawn map. According to earlier Breitbart News studies, the proposal would scale back Republican-held seats in California’s congressional delegation from 9 to 5, although roughly 40 p.c of voters supported Republican candidates within the 2024 election.
Obama has described Newsom’s proposal as a “reasoned and measured strategy,” writing on X in August, “Over the long run, we shouldn’t have political gerrymandering in America, only a honest combat between Republicans and Democrats primarily based on who’s received higher concepts. But since Texas is taking path from a partisan White House and gerrymandering in the midst of a decade to attempt to preserve the House regardless of their unpopular insurance policies, I’ve great respect for a way Governor Newsom has approached this. He’s put ahead a sensible, measured strategy in California, designed to deal with a really specific drawback at a really specific second in time.”
At a fundraiser on Martha’s Vineyard, Obama praised the initiative additional, saying, “We’re solely going to do it if and when Texas and/or different Republican states start to tug these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn’t go into impact.”
California Republicans have sued to cease Newsom’s plan, calling it unconstitutional and arguing it violates the 30-day public discover requirement for laws. The California Supreme Court, nonetheless, dominated in August that the plan might proceed, permitting the governor to make use of a “intestine and amend” tactic to fast-track the measure by way of the legislature.
The particular election — estimated to price $250 million — will ask voters to approve the brand new map and amend the state structure to allow mid-decade redistricting. The Democratic National Committee has launched bilingual outreach campaigns in assist of Prop 50 specializing in Latino voters, whereas main donors together with billionaire Tom Steyer have funded multimillion-dollar advert campaigns selling the initiative.
Polls point out {that a} majority of Californians nonetheless favor retaining the state’s unbiased redistricting fee. A UC Berkeley–Politico survey discovered that 64 p.c of voters favor the present system, in comparison with 36 p.c who assist the governor’s proposed modifications.
California’s redistricting combat is a part of a broader nationwide battle following Texas’s new “One Big Beautiful Map” which provides 5 Republican-leaning districts. Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder, by way of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, have pledged to counter GOP-led redistricting efforts, characterizing them as “an existential risk to our democracy.”
