Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and a slew of different nationwide and California Democrats on Saturday rallied supporters to remain fired up in searching for passage of a poll measure to redraw the state’s congressional districts forward of the midterm elections.
Whereas polling suggests Proposition 50 is prone to cross Tuesday, volunteers should proceed knocking on doorways, cellphone banking and motivating voters by way of Election Day, they mentioned. Newsom informed volunteers they must observe the mannequin of sprinters, leaving all of it on the sector.
“We can not afford to run the 90-yard sprint. You Angelenos, you’ve obtained the Olympics coming in 2028. They don’t run the 90-yard sprint. They run the 110-yard sprint. We’ve obtained to be at peak on Election Day,” Newsom informed lots of of supporters on the Conference Middle in downtown Los Angeles. “We can not take something without any consideration.”
Hours earlier, Republican spoke out in opposition to the poll measure at John Wayne Park in Newport Seaside, earlier than sending groups into neighborhoods to drum up votes for his or her facet.
“What Proposition 50 will do is disenfranchise, that means, disregard all Republicans within the state of California,” state Meeting member Diane Dixon (R-Newport Seaside) mentioned. “Ninety % of 6 million [Californian Republicans] shall be disenfranchised.”
Prop. 50 would redraw California’s congressional districts in an try to spice up the variety of Democrats in Congress. The hassle was proposed by Newsom and different California Democrats in hope of blunting President Trump’s push in Texas and different GOP-led states to extend the variety of Republicans elected to the U.S. Home of Representatives in subsequent 12 months’s midterm elections. However even when voters approve the poll measure that might flip 5 California districts at present represented by Republicans, it’s unclear whether or not that shall be sufficient to shift management of the Home except there’s a blue wave within the 2026 elections.
The get together that wins management of the Home will form Trump’s closing two years within the White Home and decide whether or not he is ready to proceed enacting his agenda or whether or not he faces a spate of investigations and presumably one other impeachment try.
The particular election is among the many costliest poll measures in state historical past. Greater than $192 million has flowed into varied marketing campaign committees since state lawmakers voted in August to place the proposition on the poll. Supporters of the redistricting effort raised exponentially extra money than opponents, and polling exhibits the proposition is prone to cross.
As of Friday, greater than 1 / 4 of the state’s 23 million registered voters had forged ballots, with Democrats outpacing Republicans.
Newsom was joined Saturday by Harris, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, different Democrats and labor leaders.
Harris, in a shock look on the gathering, argued that the Trump administration is implementing long-sought GOP targets equivalent to voter suppression.
“This combat just isn’t about sitting by and complaining, ‘Oh, they’re dishonest,’” the previous vp mentioned. “It’s about recognizing what they’re as much as. There may be an agenda that we’re witnessing which feels chaotic, I do know, however in truth, we’re witnessing a high-velocity occasion that’s concerning the swift implementation of a plan that has been a long time within the making.”
A number of audio system referred to the immigration raids that began in Los Angeles in June and deep cuts to federal security nets, together with the vitamin help program for low-income households and healthcare protection for seniors and the disabled.
“We all know there’s a lot on the road this Tuesday. And a reminder, Tuesday just isn’t Election Day — it’s the final day to vote,” Padilla mentioned. “Don’t wait until Tuesday. Get your ballots in, of us…. Pretty much as good because the polls look, we have to run up the rating on this as a result of the eyes of the nation are going to be on California on Tuesday. And we have to win and we have to win huge.”
Padilla, a usually staid legislator, then supplied a modified riff of a lyric by rapper Ice Dice, who grew up in South Los Angeles.
“Donald Trump — you higher test your self earlier than you wreck America,” mentioned Padilla, who’s contemplating working for governor subsequent 12 months.
Practically 50 miles southeast, about 50 Republican canvassers fueled up on espresso and doughnuts, united over the brisk climate and annoyance about Newsom’s try to redraw California’s congressional districts.
Will O’Neill, chairman of the Orange County Republican Celebration, equated this closing push in opposition to Prop. 50 because the California GOP’s Sport 7 — a nod to Friday evening’s World Sequence battle between the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.
“Orange County proper now’s the one county in Southern California that has a shot of getting extra Republicans than Democrats voting,” O’Neill mentioned. “We count on that over the following three days, round 70% of everybody who votes is gonna vote no on 50. However we want them to vote.”
Ariana Assenmacher, of California Younger Republicans, middle, organizes throughout a gathering of Republican Celebration members urgent to vote no on Proposition 50 within the upcoming California Statewide Particular Election at John Wayne Park in Newport Seaside on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
(Christina Home / Los Angeles Occasions)
O’Neill labeled the measure a “hyper-partisan energy seize.” If Prop. 50 passes, it can dilute Republican energy in Orange County by splitting communities and roping some residents into districts represented by Los Angeles County politicians.
Dixon additionally rallied volunteers — which included a handful of faculty college students from throughout the state: “Be well mannered. Simply say thanks very a lot. Similar to Charlie Kirk would. Don’t [stimulate] an argument. Simply be pleasant.”
“They’re squeezing out what little or no illustration Republicans have within the state,” mentioned Kristen Nicole Valle, president of the Orange County Younger Republicans.
“We won’t be listening to from 40% of Californians if Prop. 50 passes.”
Randall Avila, govt director of the Orange County GOP, mentioned the measure disenfranchises Latino GOP voters like himself.
Nationally, Trump managed to achieve 48% of the Latino vote, a Pew Analysis examine confirmed, which proved essential to his second presidential victory.
“Clearly our group has sort of proven we’re prepared to modify events and go one other path if that elected official or that get together isn’t serving us,” Avila mentioned. “So it’s unlucky that a few of these voices are actually gonna be silenced with a predetermined winner of their district.”
Not all hope is misplaced for Republicans if Prop. 50 is authorized, Avila mentioned. A handful of seats could possibly be snagged by Republicans, together with the districts held by Reps. Dave Min (D-Irvine) and Derek Tran (D-Orange).
“If the traces do change, that doesn’t imply we pack up and go house,” he mentioned. “Simply means we reorganize, we reconfigure issues, after which we hold combating.”
