California voters pass Proposition 50 to reshape congressional districts

California voters They passed a ballot initiative that will have a major impact on next year’s battle for a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to Fox News’ Decision Desk, California voters have approved Proposition 50, which would dramatically change the state’s congressional districts, putting the left-leaning state front and center in the high-stakes political battle over redistricting swirling around the president. Donald Trump The Republican Party is against the Democrats.

Approval of the ballot initiative in the nation’s most populous state would temporarily sideline California’s nonpartisan redistricting commission and return the power to draw congressional maps to the Democratic-dominated Legislature.

The effort in California, which could create five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts, is aimed at countering the passage of a new map in reliably red Texas that aims to create up to five right-leaning House seats. The failure to approve what is known as Proposition 50 was a stinging setback for Democrats.

Obama supports Newsom’s California redistricting bill, Proposition 50

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan to hold a special election to gain voter approval of a new congressional map on August 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Government for two terms Gavin Newsomviewed as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, led the effort to pass the proposal.

“If we lose here, we will have complete Republican control of the House, Senate and White House for at least two more years,” Newsom asserted in a recent fundraising appeal to his supporters. “If we win here, we can put an end to Trump during his final two years.”

Head here for the latest reporting and analysis from FOX NEWS on the 2025 election

The push by Trump and Republicans for a rare mid-decade redistricting is part of a broader effort by the GOP to consolidate its slim House majority to maintain control of the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.

Trump and his political team aim to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats regained the majority in the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on October 6, 2025 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“California voters have sent a strong and clear message that they will not stand idly by while Republicans try to rig the 2026 election,” Rep. Suzanne DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement. “By voting overwhelmingly to pass Proposition 50, Californians are pushing back against the GOP’s disastrous record of raising costs and depriving millions of health care, all in the name of giving tax breaks to the wealthy.”

But Rep. Richard Hudson, chairman of the rival National Republican Congressional Committee, said that “no matter how Democrats redraw the lines to satisfy Gavin Newsom’s power grab, they cannot redraw their record of failure, which is why they will fail to get a majority in the House. Even under this new map, Republicans have clear opportunities to flip their seats because Californians are tired of the Democrats’ chaos.”

Last month, Missouri joined Texas as the second GOP-controlled state to pass congressional redistricting before next year’s elections. The new map in Missouri is likely to give the GOP another right-leaning seat.

North Carolina’s Republican-controlled Legislature also passed a new map that will likely hand another congressional seat to the GOP. Republican-controlled Indiana is on edge, with a special legislative session scheduled for this week.

But, unlike those states, California voters needed to have their say before redistricting power was returned to the Sacramento Legislature.

“Heaven help us if we lose,” Newsom said at the fundraiser. “It’s a go-it-all moment for Democrats.”

Five key races of 2025 worth watching

Supporters and opponents of Proposition 50 raised hundreds of Millions of dollarswith a lot of money being spent to pay for a deluge of advertising on both sides.

One of the two main groups opposing Newsom and Democrats described its effort as “Stop the Power Takeover in Sacramento.”

Entering into the fray was the former ruler. Arnold Schwarzeneggerthe last Republican governor of California.

Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is opposing Democrats’ move to suspend the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission. (Tristar Media/Wiremag)

During his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger played a starring role in passing California constitutional amendments in 2008 and 2010 that took the power to move the state’s legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and put it in the hands of an independent commission.

Northern California voters support Proposition 50 in redistricting battle

“This is what they want to do is set us back,” Schwarzenegger said in an ad against Proposition 50. “That’s why it’s important for you to vote no on Proposition 50. Democracy — we’ve got to protect it, and we’ve got to go fight for it.”

But as Election Day approached in California, the number of supporters of the proposal rose significantly compared to opponents, and public opinion polls indicated majority support for the proposal.

Even before Trump began his redistricting campaign, Ohio was under a court order to redraw its maps. That could strengthen Republicans in a once-battleground state that now leans right.

Republicans in GOP-dominated Florida are also considering redistricting in Congress. Democrats in the populous state of Maryland are considering a redistricting campaign, while the Democratic-controlled legislature in Virginia is already pushing for redistricting.

Click here to download the FOX NEWS app

Other states considering changing maps are Democratic-controlled Illinois and red states Kansas and Nebraska.

Meanwhile, Democrats could gain a seat in Republican-dominated Utah due to a new, more competitive map, mandated by a judge.