Former President Barack Obama is begging California voters to back Governor Gavin Newsom’s gerrymandering bill in a desperate attempt to counter redistricting efforts in Republican-controlled states. The GOP-led redistricting efforts were launched in response to a “census error” that undercounted predominantly red states, thus costing congressional seats and electoral votes, as well as Democrat-led gerrymandering in stated like Illinois and Maryland.
After Texas formally introduced a mid-decade redraw of its confessional maps that phased out five districts currently controlled by Democrats, Newsom responded by announcing that California would be doing the same. The California governor’s plan is controversial, as the new Texas maps will bring the state within the margin of California’s current maps, where Republicans control just 17 percent of available seats despite the fact that 40 percent of voters broke for the GOP in 2024.
For comparison, the proposed Texas maps allow Democrats to control 21 percent of the available seats after receiving 42 percent of the vote. Newsom’s proposed changes — which will require an amendment to the state’s constitution and a special election — will leave just four Republican-controlled districts out of 52 total seats.
Voting in the special election opened last week, prompting former President Obama to release a video statement in support of the measure.
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“California, the whole nation is counting on you. Democracy is on the ballot November 4th,” the former president said in a video statement uploaded to X.
“Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks,” he added. Obama went on to claim that the bill would “preserve independent redistricting” before pleading with voters to vote in favor.
The ad was paid for by “Yes on 50, The Election Rigging Response Act and Governor Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee,” according to text at the conclusion of the video. Credits added that “HMP for Prop 50,” “Fund for Policy Reform” and the California Teachers Association were the ad committee’s “top funders.”
California redistricting efforts have raised millions of dollars in outside funding, as the measure’s success or failure could prove decisive in determining control of the U.S. House of Representatives next November.
In addition to Texas, Missouri also recently adopted new maps that phased out one Democrat-controlled district in the Kansas City area. GOP-dominated Ohio is also set to redraw maps in accordance with standard redistricting, while Kansas, Florida, South Carolina, Indiana and as of Wednesday, North Carolina, are among the Republican-controlled states that are in the early stages of considering mid-decade redistricting.
