Supporters of Proposition 50, California Democrats\u2019 ballot measure to redraw the state\u2019s congressional districts to help the party\u2019s effort to take power in the U.S. House of Representatives, raised more than four times the amount that rivals raised in recent weeks, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state by the three main committees campaigning about the measure. <\/p>\n
Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s committee supporting the redistricting measure raised $36.8 million between Sept. 21 and Oct. 18, bringing its total to $114.3 million, according to the report filed with the secretary of state\u2019s office on Thursday, which was not available until Monday. It had $37.1 million in the bank and available to spend before the Nov. 4 special election.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have hit our budget goals and raised what we need in order to pass Proposition 50,\u201d Newsom emailed supporters on Monday. \u201cYou can stop donating.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two main opposition groups raised a total of $8.4 million during the 28 days covered by the fundraising period, bringing their total haul to $43.7 million. They had $2.3 million in cash on hand going into the final stretch of the campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Gavin Newsom likes to say, we are not running the 90-yard dash here. We\u2019ve seen a groundswell of support from Californians who understand what\u2019s at stake if we let [President] Trump steal two more years of unchecked power,\u201d said Hannah Milgrom, a spokesperson for the main pro-Proposition 50 campaign. \u201cBut we are not taking anything for granted nor taking our foot off the gas. If we want to hold this dangerous and reckless president accountable, we must pass Prop. 50.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newsom and other California Democrats decided to ask voters to redraw the state\u2019s congressional boundaries<\/a>, which are currently drawn by a voter-approved independent commission, in a mid-decade redistricting after Trump urged GOP-led states to redraw their districts in an effort for Republicans to retain control of Congress in next year\u2019s midterm election. <\/p>\n The balance of power in the narrowly divided House will determine whether Trump is able to continue enacting his agenda during his final two years of office, or is the focus of investigations and possibly an impeachment effort.<\/p>\n Major donors supporting Proposition 50 include billionaire financier George Soros; the House Majority PAC, the campaign arm of congressional Democrats; and labor unions<\/a>.<\/p>\n Among the opponents of Proposition 50, top contributors include longtime GOP donor Charles Munger Jr., the son of the investment partner of billionaire Warren Buffett; and the Congressional Leadership Fund, Republicans\u2019 political arm in the House.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we are being outspent, we\u2019re continuing to communicate with Californians the dangers of suspending California\u2019s gold-standard redistricting process,\u201d said Amy Thoma, a spokesperson for the committee funded by Munger. \u201cWith just ten days to go, we are encouraging all voters to make their voice heard and to vote.\u201d<\/p>\n Ellie Hockenbury, an advisor to the committee that received $5 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund, said the organization was committed to continuing to raise money to block Newsom\u2019s redistricting effort in the days leading up to the election.<\/p>\n \u201cHis costly power grab would silence millions of Californians and deny them fair representation in Congress, which is why grassroots opposition is gaining momentum,\u201d Hockenbury said. \u201cIn the final push, our data-driven campaign is strategically targeting key voters with our message to ensure every resource helps us defeat Prop. 50.\u201d <\/p>\n There are several other committees not affiliated with these main campaign groups that are receiving funding. Those include one created by billionaire hedge fund founder Tom Steyer, who donated $12 million, and the California Republican Party, which received $8 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund.<\/p>\n These reports come a little more than a week before the Nov. 4 special election. More than 4 million mail ballots \u2014 18% of the ballots sent to California\u2019s 23 million voters \u2014 had been returned as of Friday, according to a vote tracker run by Democratic redistricting expert Paul Mitchell, who drew the proposed maps on the ballot. Democrats continue to outpace Republicans in returning ballots, 51% to 28%. Voters registered without a party preference or with other political parties returned 21% of the ballots that have been received. <\/p>\n The turnout figures are alarming Republican leaders. <\/p>\n \u201cIf Republicans do not get out and vote now, we will lose Prop 50 and Gavin Newsom will control our district lines until 2032,\u201d Orange County GOP Chair Will O\u2019Neill wrote to party members on Friday, urging them to cast ballots this past weekend and sharing the locations of early voting centers in the county.<\/p>\n Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) was more blunt on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now we\u2019re losing the fight against Prop 50 in CA, but turnout is LOW,\u201d he posted on the social media platform X on Friday. \u201cIf every Republican voter gets off their ass, returns their ballot and votes NO, we WIN. IT. IS. THAT. SIMPLE.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 18.9 million ballots are outstanding, though not all will be completed. Early voting centers opened on Saturday in 29 California counties. <\/p>\n \u201cThink of Election Day as the last day to vote \u2014 not the only day. Like we always do, California gives voters more days and more ways to participate,\u201d Secretary of State Shirley Weber said in a statement. \u201cDon\u2019t Delay! Vote today!\u201d<\/p>\n The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that it plans on monitoring polling sites<\/a> in Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties at the request of the state GOP.<\/p>\n \u201cTransparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,\u201d Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said. \u201cWe will commit the resources necessary to ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n