Obama Rallies Californians to Support Prop 50 in new ad
Former President Barack Obama has stepped into California’s redistricting debate, starring in a new statewide advertisement urging voters to approve Proposition 50.
In the ad, Obama frames the ballot measure as a crucial stand for American democracy, saying, “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.”
Proposition 50 would redraw California’s congressional map, giving Democrats five additional seats. Obama says the measure would “stop Republicans in their tracks,” adding, “Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, preserves Independent Redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide.”
If passed, the proposition would temporarily implement a new congressional map through 2030, effectively removing five Republican districts. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has described the proposal as a direct counter to Texas Republicans’ recent redistricting move, which added five GOP-held seats. California is the first Democratic-led state to respond in kind.
Obama joins several high-profile Democrats backing the measure, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA).
The California initiative has also spurred Republicans in several red states to pursue their own redistricting efforts to bolster their advantage. On Monday, North Carolina became the latest state to propose a new map aimed at adding one more Republican seat, targeting an 11-3 GOP majority by 2026.
