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A Yes on 50 sign is posted on a walkway over Highway 101 on November 3, 2025 in San Rafael, California.
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
To Check Trump's Power Grab, Progressives Make Final Push for Prop 50 in California
"It's our way of fighting back against all of the the racist gerrymandering happening across the country," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Nov 04, 2025
Election watchers across the country and even overseas were anticipating the results in New York City on Tuesday as progressives hoped for a victory for state Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and his mayoral campaign that's relentlessly focused on the needs of working people, but democracy advocates also urged attention on a key ballot measure in California aimed at countering Republican gerrymandering.
The grassroots group Our Revolution was sending canvassers out to advocate for a "yes" vote on Proposition 50, which would throw out the state's current district map in favor of one that could give Democrats five additional seats in the US House of Representatives.
If approved, the ballot measure would pass the Election Rigging Response Act "to counter [President] Donald Trump’s scheme to rig next year’s congressional election and [reaffirm] California’s commitment to independent, nonpartisan redistricting after the next census."
Trump has called on Republican-controlled states including Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina to redraw their district maps and employ racial gerrymandering to increase the likelihood that the GOP will win more seats in the House.
"Trump’s GOP is rigging maps to steal Congress. Prop 50 is how we fight back," said Our Revolution.
On Monday, US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)—who has previously spoken out in favor of Prop 50—addressed her nearly 10 million followers on Instagram in a video regarding the New York City election, the president's attacks on federal food assistance, and the ballot measure in California.
"It's our way of fighting back against all of the the racist gerrymandering happening across the country," said Ocasio-Cortez, who is reportedly considering a Senate or presidential run. "Approving Prop 50 in California helps balance the scale against all of the attacks on communities across the country."
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) also campaigned for Prop 50 on Monday, saying at a rally that after passing the measure, Democrats "are going to win the midterms."
"And when we win the midterms, we are going to cut our time in hell by half," he said.
Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running to unseat former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in 2026, said that Prop 50 is one thing that he and the longtime congresswoman "actually agree on."
"This," he said, "is how we fight back against Trump."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
alexandria ocasio-cortezcaliforniadonald trumpelection 2025gerrymanderingour revolutionproposition 50
Election watchers across the country and even overseas were anticipating the results in New York City on Tuesday as progressives hoped for a victory for state Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and his mayoral campaign that's relentlessly focused on the needs of working people, but democracy advocates also urged attention on a key ballot measure in California aimed at countering Republican gerrymandering.
The grassroots group Our Revolution was sending canvassers out to advocate for a "yes" vote on Proposition 50, which would throw out the state's current district map in favor of one that could give Democrats five additional seats in the US House of Representatives.
If approved, the ballot measure would pass the Election Rigging Response Act "to counter [President] Donald Trump’s scheme to rig next year’s congressional election and [reaffirm] California’s commitment to independent, nonpartisan redistricting after the next census."
Trump has called on Republican-controlled states including Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina to redraw their district maps and employ racial gerrymandering to increase the likelihood that the GOP will win more seats in the House.
"Trump’s GOP is rigging maps to steal Congress. Prop 50 is how we fight back," said Our Revolution.
On Monday, US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)—who has previously spoken out in favor of Prop 50—addressed her nearly 10 million followers on Instagram in a video regarding the New York City election, the president's attacks on federal food assistance, and the ballot measure in California.
"It's our way of fighting back against all of the the racist gerrymandering happening across the country," said Ocasio-Cortez, who is reportedly considering a Senate or presidential run. "Approving Prop 50 in California helps balance the scale against all of the attacks on communities across the country."
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) also campaigned for Prop 50 on Monday, saying at a rally that after passing the measure, Democrats "are going to win the midterms."
"And when we win the midterms, we are going to cut our time in hell by half," he said.
Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running to unseat former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in 2026, said that Prop 50 is one thing that he and the longtime congresswoman "actually agree on."
"This," he said, "is how we fight back against Trump."
Election watchers across the country and even overseas were anticipating the results in New York City on Tuesday as progressives hoped for a victory for state Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani and his mayoral campaign that's relentlessly focused on the needs of working people, but democracy advocates also urged attention on a key ballot measure in California aimed at countering Republican gerrymandering.
The grassroots group Our Revolution was sending canvassers out to advocate for a "yes" vote on Proposition 50, which would throw out the state's current district map in favor of one that could give Democrats five additional seats in the US House of Representatives.
If approved, the ballot measure would pass the Election Rigging Response Act "to counter [President] Donald Trump’s scheme to rig next year’s congressional election and [reaffirm] California’s commitment to independent, nonpartisan redistricting after the next census."
Trump has called on Republican-controlled states including Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina to redraw their district maps and employ racial gerrymandering to increase the likelihood that the GOP will win more seats in the House.
"Trump’s GOP is rigging maps to steal Congress. Prop 50 is how we fight back," said Our Revolution.
On Monday, US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)—who has previously spoken out in favor of Prop 50—addressed her nearly 10 million followers on Instagram in a video regarding the New York City election, the president's attacks on federal food assistance, and the ballot measure in California.
"It's our way of fighting back against all of the the racist gerrymandering happening across the country," said Ocasio-Cortez, who is reportedly considering a Senate or presidential run. "Approving Prop 50 in California helps balance the scale against all of the attacks on communities across the country."
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) also campaigned for Prop 50 on Monday, saying at a rally that after passing the measure, Democrats "are going to win the midterms."
"And when we win the midterms, we are going to cut our time in hell by half," he said.
Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running to unseat former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in 2026, said that Prop 50 is one thing that he and the longtime congresswoman "actually agree on."
"This," he said, "is how we fight back against Trump."
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