Democratic Party Strategy

In a new interview on 'The Axios Show,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he called former President Barack Obama before launching his push for Proposition 50, the 'Election Rigging Response Act,' and that Obama surprised him by encouraging the aggressive, partisan redistricting strategy instead of urging caution. Newsom recounts Obama telling him he liked what Newsom was proposing and hoped he would move forward, support that Newsom says "moved us into a different gear" and provided "cover and moral authority" even though Obama had previously championed independent redistricting. Prop 50, approved by California voters in November 2025 with nearly 65% support, temporarily shifted map‑drawing power from an independent commission back to the Legislature for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections, enabling Democrats to flip five GOP‑held U.S. House districts into Democratic‑leaning seats. Newsom frames the measure as "fighting fire with fire" against what he calls Republican gerrymandering, particularly in Texas, and argues the Trump administration is trying to rig elections before votes are cast. The revelation underscores a broader Democratic shift toward more confrontational tactics on electoral rules and could fuel national debate over whether both parties are now abandoning earlier commitments to neutral mapmaking when control of Congress is at stake.