Obama rallies California redistricting supporters as special election nears

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Former President Barack Obama urged voters to back California Democrats’ redistricting effort during a virtual event with California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, October 22.

He framed the proposed constitutional amendment as a way to counter President Donald Trump’s efforts to skew the 2026 midterm elections in Republicans’ favor.

Obama backs California’s Prop 50, warning of Trump’s bid to reshape election maps

Barack Obama described Proposition 50,  a bid to change California’s congressional lines mid-cycle and potentially pick up five Democratic House seats next year,  in stark terms.

"There’s a broader principle at stake that has to do with whether or not our democracy can be manipulated by those who are already in power to entrench themselves further," the former president said. He added, "Or whether we’re going to have a system that allows the people to decide who’s going to represent them."

"The essence of Prop 50 is to say that if you are going to play that game, then we are going to try to counteract that abuse of the system," Obama further said.

Interestingly, Obama lent his voice to a recent campaign ad in which he urged Californians to back the measure ahead of the November 4 election. He also warned that "the whole nation is counting" on the state to stop Republicans, who he said want to "wield unchecked power for two more years." 

He said, "The problem that we are seeing right now is that our current president and his administration is explicitly saying that we want to change the rules of the game midstream in order to insulate ourselves from the people’s judgment."

Dems unite behind Prop 50 to block GOP redistricting push in California

Gavin Newsom and fellow Democrats are urging voters to pause California's independent redistricting commission and approve new congressional lines.

Meanwhile, North Carolina’s Legislature approved changes to the state’s voting boundaries, adding one more Republican-leaning seat.

President Donald Trump is reportedly pressuring more Republican-led states to undertake redistricting, although Indiana leaders currently lack the votes to make it happen, according to Politico.

Barack Obama accused the POTUS and Republicans of wanting to "tinker around with [congressional districts] to see if they can give themselves an advantage" to insulate themselves from voter backlash.

"It’s brazen. They’re not pretending that there’s some other rationale to it. They’re simply doing it because they think they can," he said.

The former president also said that Prop 50 could give Democrats "a chance, at least, to create a level playing field in the upcoming midterm elections."

After appearing on the call, Gavin Newsom highlighted the importance of Obama’s California campaign ads and his enduring popularity among Democrats.

We appreciate seeing you up on our screens every hour of every day as our closing messenger," Newsom said. He added, "I hope it’s dawning on everyone how precious this moment is."