Less than five minutes after the deadline for voting passed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Proposition 50 was projected by all major media outlets to have been approved by California voters.
Passage of Proposition 50 in the Special Election means it paves the way for Democrats to gain U.S. House seats.
Voters were asked to decide on Prop 50, whether to dramatically reshape California's congressional districts to add as many as five Democrat-held seats in Congress — a possible offset to President Donald Trump’s moves in Texas and elsewhere to help Republicans in the 2026 election.
The national implications of California's ballot measure are clear in both the money it has attracted and the figures getting involved. Tens of millions of dollars were spent in the race — including a $5 million donation to opponents from the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC tied to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Former action-movie star and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken out to oppose it, while former President Barack Obama is in favor, calling it a “smart” approach to counter Republican maneuverings aimed at safeguarding House control.
In San Diego County, the first batch of voting results were similar to the statewide results with 60 pct of voters in favor of Prop 50 and 40 pct voting no.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images