Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and a host of other national and California Democrats rallied supporters Saturday to continue pushing for passage of the state's redistricting measure ahead of the midterm elections.
Although polls show Proposition 50 likely to pass Tuesday, volunteers must continue knocking on doors, doing phone banking and motivating voters throughout Election Day, they say. Newsome told the volunteers they should follow the example of the sprinters by leaving all their efforts on the field.
“We can't afford to run the 90 yards. You people of Los Angeles, we have the Olympics coming up in 2028. They don't run the 90 yards. They run the 110 yards. We have to be at our best on Election Day,” Newsom told hundreds of supporters at the Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles. “We can’t take anything for granted.”
Hours earlier, Republicans protested the vote at John Wayne Park in Newport Beach and then sent teams into neighborhoods to drum up votes for their side.
“Proposition 50 will disenfranchise every Republican in the state of California,” said State Assemblywoman Diane Dixon (R-Newport Beach). “Ninety percent of the 6 million [Californian Republicans] will be deprived of the right to vote.”
Proposition 50 will be redraw California's congressional districts in an attempt to increase the number of Democrats in Congress. The initiative was proposed by Newsom and other California Democrats in hopes of weakening President Trump's push in Texas and other GOP-led states to increase the number of Republicans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in next year's midterm elections. But even if voters approve a ballot measure that could flip five California counties currently represented by Republicans, it's unclear whether it would be enough to flip control of the House unless there's a blue wave in the 2026 elections.
The party that wins control of the House will shape Trump's final two years in the White House and determine whether he can continue to pursue his agenda or face a wave of investigations and possibly another attempt at impeachment.
The special election is one of the most expensive ballot measures in state history. More than $192 million. has flown into various campaign committees since state lawmakers voted to place the proposal on the ballot in August. Proponents of redistricting raised exponentially more money than opponents. polls show the proposal is likely to pass.
As of Friday, more than a quarter of the state's 23 million registered voters had cast ballots, with Democrats ahead of Republicans.
Newsom was joined Saturday by Harris, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla of California, as well as Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, other Democrats and labor leaders.
Harris, making a surprise appearance at the meeting, said the Trump administration is pursuing long-awaited GOP goals such as voter suppression.
“This fight is not for you to sit around and complain, 'Oh, they're cheating,'” the former vice president said. “It's about acknowledging what they're up to. We're looking at an agenda that seems chaotic, I know, but in fact we're witnessing a high-speed event that involves the rapid implementation of a plan that's been decades in the making.”
Several speakers mentioned immigration raids that began in Los Angeles in June and deep cuts to the federal safety net, including a nutrition assistance program for low-income families and health insurance for the elderly and disabled.
“We know there's a lot at stake this Tuesday. And as a reminder, Tuesday is not Election Day, it's the last day to vote,” Padilla said. “Don't wait until Tuesday. Guys, bring your ballots… No matter how good the polls are, we need to increase the score on this issue because on Tuesday the eyes of the country will be on California. And we need to win, and we need to win big.”
Padilla, a typically level-headed lawmaker, then offered a modified riff on lyrics by South Los Angeles-raised rapper Ice Cube.
“Donald Trump, you better check yourself before you destroy America,” said Padilla, who is considering a run for governor next year.
Nearly 50 miles to the southeast, about 50 Republican canvassers, fueled by coffee and donuts, rallied over cool weather and dissatisfaction with Newsom's attempt to redraw California's voting districts.
Will O'Neill, chairman of the Orange County Republican Party, equated this latest push against Proposition 50 to Game 7 of the California GOP – a reference to Friday night's World Series battle between the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.
“Orange County is currently the only county in Southern California where there is a chance that more Republicans will vote than Democrats,” O'Neill said. “We expect that over the next three days about 70% of everyone who votes will vote against 50. But we need them to vote.”
Ariana Assenmacher of California Young Republicans (center) organizes a rally of GOP members demanding a vote against Proposition 50 in the upcoming California statewide special election at John Wayne Park in Newport Beach on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
O'Neill called the measure a “hyperpartisan power grab.” If passed, House Bill 50 would weaken Republican power in Orange County, dividing communities and tying some residents to districts represented by Los Angeles County politicians.
Dixon also rallied volunteers, including several college students from around the state: “Be polite. Just say thank you very much. Just like Charlie Kirk would have done. Don't.” [stimulate] argument. Just be friendly.”
“They're squeezing out what little Republican representation we have in the state,” said Kristen Nicole Valle, president of the Orange County Young Republicans.
“We won't hear from 40% of Californians if Prop. 50 passes.”
Randall Avila, executive director of the Orange County Republican Party, said the measure disenfranchises Latino GOP voters like himself.
At the national level, Trump managed to win 48% of the Latino vote. Pew Research foundwhich proved decisive for his second presidential victory.
“Obviously, our community has kind of shown that we are willing to change parties and go in a different direction if that elected official or that party is not serving us,” Avila said. “It is therefore a shame that some of those voices will now be drowned out by a predetermined winner in their constituency.”
Not all Republican hopes are lost if House Bill 50 passes, Avila said. Republicans could pick up several seats, including districts held by Reps. Dave Mean (D-Irvine) and Derek Tran (D-Orange).
“If the lines change, it doesn’t mean we pack up and go home,” he said. “It just means we will reorganize, we will reconfigure things, and then we will continue to fight.”
