Prop 50: The Stakes in California
John White
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – California voters will be deciding the fate of Proposition 50 in a state-wide special election on November 4th in a little over four weeks.
And the decision could have major implications in the battle for control of Congress in next year’s mid-term elections.
It would redraw the state’s congressional districts, giving democrats an edge in some seats currently held by republicans.
The effort is being spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom who announced in August, “We’re doing this in reaction to a President of the United States who called a sitting governor of the State of Texas and said find me five seats.”
The proposition was put on the ballot after Texas re-drew its districts in the hopes of picking-up five Republican seats.
Co-Chair of No on Prop 50, Stop the Sacramento Power Grab, Jessica Millan Patterson counters that argument.
“Well, this is very clearly a power grab from Sacramento politicians, and this power was given to the people in 2010 with our citizens redistricting commission,” Patterson says.
Local Democratic candidate for congress, Brandon Riker, disagrees with that.
“This isn’t something I think anyone wanted to do, but Texas did it first. We’re responding to Texas. We didn’t start this, but we need to make sure we respond and that we’re able to hold this administration accountable,” Riker says.
Rep. Ken Calvert (R) CA-41 responds, “Well, I have no control over Texas, and Texas is going to do what they are going to do. But two wrongs don’t make a right.”
Proposition 50 would set aside the independent commission’s districts for three election cycles.
In the Coachella Valley, the current 41st district would be gone, moved into heavily Democratic East Los Angeles County.
The 48th district is especially complicated.
Proposition 50 adds Palm Springs and Indian Wells into a district in San Diego County, stretching almost to the coast.
Former state lawmaker Chad Mayes says, “You know, you’ve heard the term gerrymandering, if we all learned that in in high school civics, the way that district lines are moved around to look like a gerrymander. They don’t have communities of interest, and so when politicians draw their lines, they draw lines to maximize their party’s electoral success.”
It’s going to be an expensive fight, with state records showing 3 dozen committees raising money.
As of September 20, state records show:
The Governor’s committee, “Yes on 50″ The Election Rigging Response Act had raised over $77 million.
The “No on 50” Congressional Leadership Fund had raised nearly $42 million
“No on 50” Protect Voters First had raised nearly $31million, nearly all of it from Charles Munger, Junior who financed the initiative to create the independent redistricting commission in California.
The Director of Insights for OpenSecrets.Org, Brendan Glavin says, “People need to be, you know, understand who’s behind the messaging. What are their motivations for this, either supporting or opposing it, and you know, educated voters are able to make better decisions.”
The fight over the proposition is also creating uncertainty for the candidates.
Incumbent Republican Ken Calvert is a primary target of the proposition and won’t say what he will do if it passes. His home would be in the newly drawn 40th district. He says his focus right now is defeating 50.
Democrat Brandon Riker lives in Palm Springs and is running against Calvert right now in the 41st district and against Republican Darrell Issa in the proposed 48th district.
Democrat Marni von Wilpert, a current San Diego City Council Member is running in the 48th against Issa but won’t know if Palm Springs and Indian Wells will be a part of that until November 4th.
Mayes describes the entire battle as one that’s entirely based on power, “This is really a symptom of a really deeper disease here in this country. You know, our polarization has gotten the best of us. It is true. This would not have happened in California had Republicans not done it in Texas. And at the end of the day, both Republicans and Democrats, all they care about is themselves, and they care about is power.””
Interactive Map of Current Districts: https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/final-maps/
Interactive Map of Proposed Districts: https://aelc.assembly.ca.gov/proposed-congressional-map
Campaign Finance Information for Proposition 50: https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Measures/Detail.aspx?id=1483327&session=2025