California voters go to the polls on Tuesday to decide on a sweeping reform plan that has national implications, but the campaign is shaping up to be a reference to President Trump.
Proposition 50, a voting measure about retaking the districts of the Democt Monce, was made by the Democrats in response to Trump’s appeal to their maps to change their maps to show the republicans, a movement designed to preserve the Republican Control of the US House of the House of the US.
Opponents said Proposition 50 was a show of force by Democrats to block Republican voters.
But supporters, boosted by a huge war chest in Deep Blue California, were able to cast ballots for Trump and what they called his attempts to explode democracy. The President has never been popular in California, but unprecedented months of land raids, tax hikes and environmental rollbacks have only fueled tensions.
“Trump is such a powerful figure,” said Rick Haven, a professor of law and political science at UCLA. “He has commanded a lot of loyalty from one group of people and a lot of hatred from others. … It is not surprising that this measure has been expressed as an attachment to Donald Trump or [California Gov.] Gavin Newlom. “
The elevation underscores how hyperpartisan California politics has become. A UC Berkeley Poll last week conducted in conjunction with the Times found more than 10 percent of Democrats supported Proposition 50 and the same number of Republicans opposed.
Voters in California were mixed with television ads, mailers and social media posts for weeks to be chosen in a special election, so that only 2% of voters were not informed, according to the spirit.
As if on cue, Trump weighed in at 50 points on Tuesday morning as the polls began.
“Unconstitutional voting in California is the biggest fraud in that process, especially the voting itself, rigged,” Trump said on Public Moments after polling stations opened across California.
The President did not provide evidence for his allegations.
The newspaper dismissed the President’s claims on X as ‘the attacks of an old man who knows he will lose. “
In a White House briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavet, without providing examples, said that California was receiving votes on behalf of undocumented immigrants who could not legally vote.
California’s top official, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, called Trump’s ‘another baseless claim. “
“The bottom line is the California election has been upheld by the courts,” Weber said in a statement. “California voters will not be fooled by a conservative who makes consistent, consistent efforts to diminish the American people’s participation in our democracy.”
More than 6.3 million – 28% of the Government’s 23 million registered voters – have cast their ballots since Monday, according to the voting tracker run by Democratic Regiplittect expert Paul Mitchell. The votes cast by Democrats were the votes cast by Republicans on Monday, even though GOP voters are believed to have been more likely to vote on Election Day.
Defeated Army Veteroman Mikah Corpe, 50, had some names chosen by New Newsonline Palms Church that serves as a polling station, calling politicians ”
Corpe, a Republican, described Proposition 50 as an attempt by the governor to “do whatever he wants because he doesn’t like Trump.” At the same time, he said Texas’ decision to re-establish its DRMERSALY districts was a necessity because of the influx of people moving there from California and other blue states.
“You are fighting [Trump] of everything,” Corpe said of the story.” Just give less to get less. That’s all he has to do. ”
Matt Lesenyie, an assistant professor of political science at Cal State Long Beach, said the seeds of Proposition 50 were sown when it became clear that Republicans in Congress would not be challenged to investigate or provide greater oversight.
“One of the advantages of our system is that there are checks designed in there and we haven’t used those checks in a long time, so I think this is a Hail Mary for doing that,” he said.
Bob Rowell, who is 72 years old, said that in this ideal proposal the world 50 will not be necessary. But the Trump Administration’s Push to Redraw Lines in Red States poses “a distinct risk of creating permanent Republican dominance in Congress,” he said. So, Rowell, a member of the green party, voted yes.
“I hope there is some way to get us back,” he said.
Robert Hamilton, 35, a construction drafter who lives on the outskirts of twenty-two, sees proposal 50 as a necessary step back from Trump’s actions, which he says are against human rights. He is proud of the role California is playing in this political moment.
“I think as a state we’re doing a very good job of trying to get back to a little more of our president’s freedom,” Hamilton said outside of the week in which he drew his vote. “I hope that if this initiative is successful that other states will follow suit – not to take similar recovery measures but to find ways to hold things while we get things organized.”
Times staff writers Mehta and Katie King contributed to this report.
