California Approves Redistricting to Counter Trump

California voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to redraw its electoral districts, in a measure Democrats framed as a response to US President Donald Trump’s efforts to gerrymander Republican-held states.

Early results indicated a decisive majority in the traditionally liberal state supported the motion, which had been widely promoted as an opportunity to “stick it to Trump.” Proposition 50 was approved by roughly a two-to-one margin, with major media outlets projecting that this lead would hold when the final tally is counted.

The outcome represents a significant victory for Governor Gavin Newsom, who has increasingly positioned himself as a national Democratic leader willing to stand up to Trump.

“We’re proud of the work that the people of California did tonight to send a powerful message to… the most historically unpopular president in modern history,” Newsom said as the results came in.

The governor and his allies had urged voters to approve a temporary redrawing of electoral districts, a move that could give the Democratic Party five additional seats in the contest for control of the US Congress in next year’s midterm elections. Republicans criticised the initiative as a power grab that would disenfranchise the party’s voters in California.

Democrats argued they were merely seeking to level the playing field after Texas Republicans enacted their own redistricting plan — under pressure from the White House — designed to secure a narrow Congressional majority that has so far allowed Trump to wield substantial influence.

“Donald Trump is under water. He promised to make us healthier. He promised to make us wealthier. We’re sicker and poorer, and he understands that,” Newsom said. “Why else is he trying to rig the midterm elections before one single vote is even cast?”

Television commercials for the “Yes” campaign even depicted an irate Trump watching the results on screen, rambling incoherently and throwing French fries.

Trump, who has long expressed animosity toward California, criticised the initiative on social media, writing: “The Unconstitutional Redistricting Vote in California is a GIANT SCAM in that the entire process, in particular the Voting itself, is RIGGED,” offering no evidence to support the claim.

US electoral districts are typically drawn after the decennial national census, in theory reflecting the population distribution. In practice, however, most boundaries are determined by political parties, allowing whichever group is in power to influence the map for the next decade.

California had removed such partisan gerrymandering under former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, transferring the responsibility to an independent panel — one of only a few states to take such a step. If Tuesday’s results are confirmed, the politically drawn boundaries will remain in effect until the next census, when the independent panel will again oversee the process.

Los Angeles Times columnist Mark Barbarak described the vote as “a political ink-blot test.” He wrote: “A reasoned attempt to even things out in response to Texas’ attempt to nab five more congressional seats. Or a ruthless gambit to drive the California GOP to near-extinction. What many California voters see depends, politically, on where they stand.”

Voters at the polls in Los Angeles said the vote was about pushing back against Republican tactics elsewhere in the country.

“I’ll take anything we can get, anything we can get. We’ve got to sometimes use the methods they’re using, whatever will get us moving forward,” said Casey Mason.

Makela Yepez acknowledged reservations about the state’s independent boundary commission temporarily ceding control, but felt the ends justified the means. “I think we’re using the tools that are at our disposal, and I think we have to have faith that it’s going to work,” he said.