Barack Obama Claims Republicans Want to ‘Steal’ Seats, ‘Rig’ Election in Ad for Newsom’s Gerrymandering Proposal

Former President Barack Obama and California Governor Gavin Newsom are teaming up to push Proposition 50, a ballot measure critics warn would wipe out Republican representation in the nation’s largest state. The proposal would scrap California’s independent redistricting system — one voters approved to curb political manipulation — and hand mapping power back to politicians in Sacramento.

On Tuesday, Newsom posted on X, “Listen to @barackobama,” sharing a video of Obama urging Californians to vote “Yes” on Prop 50 in the November 4 special election.

In the ad, Obama declares:

“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. With Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks. Prop 50 puts our elections back on a level playing field, which preserves Independent Redistricting over the long term, and lets the people decide. Return your ballot today. Vote yes on 50.”

The message is striking — Obama is now arguing that partisan redistricting is necessary to preserve democracy. In reality, Prop 50 would undo the independent citizen commission that voters themselves created in 2008 to stop exactly this kind of political gerrymandering.

Analysts say Newsom’s plan would cut the number of GOP congressional seats from nine to five, even though about 40 percent of California voters backed Republican candidates in 2024. That’s not a “level playing field” — it’s a partisan overhaul designed to keep Democrats entrenched in power while claiming the moral high ground.

Obama called Newsom’s move a “reasoned and measured approach,” writing in August, “Over the long term, we shouldn’t have political gerrymandering in America… But since Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House and gerrymandering in the middle of a decade… I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this.”

At a Martha’s Vineyard fundraiser, he went further, saying, “We’re only going to do it if and when Texas and/or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn’t go into effect.”

That statement lays bare the political calculation — Democrats will only “reform” the system when it benefits them. It’s not about fairness; it’s about control.

California Republicans have sued to block Prop 50, calling it unconstitutional and pointing out that it violates the state’s 30-day public notice requirement for new legislation. Still, the state Supreme Court sided with Newsom, greenlighting his use of the controversial “gut and amend” process to rush the measure through.

The special election will cost taxpayers an estimated $250 million, adding to a state already grappling with a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee and billionaire donors like Tom Steyer are pouring millions into ad buys and outreach campaigns targeting Latino voters, trying to shore up support for a measure most Californians don’t want.

Polls show 64 percent of voters still back the state’s current independent redistricting commission. Only 36 percent support Newsom’s partisan rewrite.

This redistricting fight isn’t just about California. It’s part of a broader national effort by Democrats — led by Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder — to reshape electoral maps and cement one-party control under the banner of “saving democracy.”

At its core, Prop 50 is less about fairness and more about power — and it’s another reminder that when progressives say “democracy,” what they often mean is “Democratic dominance.”