As California barrels toward its special election on November 4, 2025, the state finds itself at the center of a national political storm, with Proposition 50—the so-called Election Rigging Response Act—sparking fierce debate, unprecedented spending, and a flurry of high-profile advertisements. With Governor Gavin Newsom’s congressional redistricting effort on the line, the stakes could hardly be higher for both the Golden State and the broader balance of power in Washington.
The battle over Prop. 50 is, at its core, a response to recent moves in Texas. In August, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a sweeping redistricting bill into law, adding five new Republican congressional seats. According to The Center Square, Newsom interpreted the Texas maneuver as a direct attack on California’s predominantly Democratic voters. In a pointed news release, Newsom declared, “California and Californians have been uniquely targeted by the Trump Administration, and we are not going to sit idle while they command Texas and other states to rig the next election to keep power — pursuing more extreme and unpopular policies. This proposal would give Californians a choice to fight back — and bring much needed accountability and oversight to the Trump Administration.”
Prop. 50 aims to shift the current process for drawing congressional district lines—currently handled by the state’s independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, created by the 2008 Voters First Act and expanded in 2010—to a system that Newsom and his supporters argue will better counteract what they see as partisan gerrymandering in other states. But the measure’s opponents contend it’s a dangerous overcorrection that could damage the very fabric of California’s democracy.
Money, as ever, is fueling the fire. The campaign for and against Prop. 50 has become a showcase of political muscle and deep pockets, with contributions from billionaires, unions, and national political groups pouring in at a dizzying pace. As of October 15, 2025, the Fair Political Practices Commission reported that supporters of Prop. 50 had raised more than $43.9 million, while opponents had amassed over $40.8 million.
Leading the charge for Prop. 50 is billionaire Tom Steyer, a Democrat and former presidential candidate. Steyer announced he would pour more than $12 million into the campaign, including funding a splashy “Stick it to Trump” ad campaign. The centerpiece: a television commercial set in a near-future scenario, with an actor portraying President Donald Trump angrily reacting to the passage of Prop. 50—throwing fast food at the TV as election results roll in. According to media reports cited by The Center Square, Steyer’s campaign seeks to mobilize voters by framing the measure as a direct counterattack to perceived Republican power grabs elsewhere.
But the opposition is equally well-heeled and determined. Charles Thomas Munger Jr., a California billionaire and longtime advocate for independent redistricting, has contributed more than $32 million to the Project Voters First Committee, the main group opposing Prop. 50. Munger’s anti-Prop. 50 ads are no less dramatic, featuring a giant weight crashing down on the words “Fair Elections,” splintering them as a narrator warns of the dangers of the proposed changes. Munger’s history with California’s redistricting efforts runs deep—he donated $1.4 million to pass Proposition 11 in 2008, which created the Citizens Redistricting Commission, and spent $12.2 million to expand its duties and defeat efforts to dismantle it in 2010.
Other major donors are lining up on both sides. The largest pro-Prop. 50 contributor is the D.C.-based HMP for Prop 50, which gave more than $10.9 million through September 20. The Fund for Policy Reform chipped in $10 million, while the California Nurses Association and California Teachers Association Issues PAC gave $3.2 million and over $3 million, respectively. The National Education Association and Newsom for Governor 2022, along with various labor and advocacy groups, have also thrown their weight behind the measure. On the individual side, Michael Moritz of California and Gwendolyn Sontheim of Minnesota have made notable contributions.
On the opposition front, the No on Prop 50 Congressional Leadership Fund contributed $5 million, while Kevin McCarthy for Congress and Thomas M. Siebel each gave $1 million. Other Republican-aligned groups and individuals, including several California congressmen at risk of losing their seats if Prop. 50 passes, have also contributed significant sums. The Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab Committee, supported by figures like Jim Jordan for Congress and Ken Calvert for Congress, has marshaled additional resources to block the proposition.
The rhetoric on both sides is predictably heated. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, a Democrat from Salinas, echoed Newsom’s combative tone in August, saying, “California will not be a bystander to Trump’s power grab. We are acting to defend our state from his attacks, by taking it directly to the voters. Californians believe in democracy and freedom, and we will not stand by while the House is hijacked by authoritarianism.”
Republican lawmakers, however, argue that Prop. 50 is less about defending democracy and more about undermining it. State Senator Tony Strickland warned, “What will end up happening is you’ll have predetermined elections that I think are bad for Democrats, independents and Republicans. When you already know who the winner is before the election even starts, I don’t think that’s healthy for our democracy, and that’s exactly what will happen. If 50 passes, we’ll have no competitive congressional races in California.” Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones was even more pointed, telling The Center Square, “I think it’s telling that we see the ‘yes’ campaign drawing all the attention to the President and away from the actual merits of the measure. Prop. 50 is not an attack on the President; it’s an attack on Californians. On their right to true democratic representation free from political gamesmanship and gerrymandering. It’s an attack on our state constitution and on democracy as we know it in the Golden State.”
While the California contest dominates headlines, voters in other parts of the country are also preparing for consequential decisions. On October 16, 2025, Houston’s “Hello Houston” radio show featured University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus discussing the upcoming November election and various propositions on Texas ballots. The show highlighted the importance of local engagement and the ways in which redistricting and ballot initiatives are shaping political life across the nation, not just in California.
As the days tick down to November 4, all eyes are on California. Will voters endorse Newsom’s bold gambit to reshape congressional boundaries and counteract moves in Texas, or will they heed warnings about the risks of partisan overreach? One thing is certain: with nearly $85 million already spent and passions running high, the outcome of Prop. 50 will reverberate far beyond the state’s borders.
Whether Prop. 50 is remembered as a necessary defense of democratic values or a cautionary tale about the perils of political escalation, the decision now rests squarely with California’s voters.
