Gavin Newsom has an urgent warning for other Democratic-led states
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Tuesday celebrated the passage of his signature ballot initiative, which could allow Democrats to flip up to five GOP-held seats in his state, encouraging other Democratic-led states to “seize the moment,” and warned that President Donald Trump is already “trying to rig” the 2026 midterm elections.
Newsom said Democrats’ strong showing Tuesday night in California and beyond wasn’t just a victory for their party, “it was a victory for the United States of America.”
The governor said he was “proud” that California voters approved Proposition 50, a ballot measure that allows the state legislature to redraw the state’s congressional districts before the 2026 elections, spurred by Texas Republicans’ decision to eliminate five Democratic-held seats in the state under Trump’s orders. Similar efforts are underway in other Republican-led states, including Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, but some Democratic-led states are fighting back, following a push from California.
“After poking the bear, this bear roared with unprecedented turnout in a special election with an extraordinary result. However, none of us are naïve,” Newsom said. “Donald Trump’s efforts to rig the midterm elections continue to this day.”
As Newsom welcomed the blow that voters dealt to the Republican Party, he urged Americans not to lose sight of the fact that Trump does not respect the fundamental principles of a democratic society.
“Trump does not believe in fair and free elections, period and period,” Newsom said. “This is not complicated and is obvious to anyone paying attention.”
Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photo
Newsom, who is expected to run for president in 2028 after leaving the governor’s mansion in Sacramento in January 2027 due to term limits, encouraged other Democratic-led states to emulate California’s fight against Trump’s mid-decade redistricting war.
“We need the state of Virginia. We need the state of Maryland. We need our friends in New York, Illinois and Colorado. We need to see other states, the notable leaders who have been doing remarkable things, meet this moment head-on and recognize what we are going to face in 2026,” he said.
InformationThatReal
Your supportFuelsOur Mission
Your supportFuelsOur Mission
Join News themezone today
Voters sent a message that was loud, clear and impossible to ignore. Change is coming. We’ll help you make sense of it. Join News themezone as a member and be a part of what happens next.
We remain committed to bringing you the unwavering, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We are truly grateful for readers like you! Your early support helped get us here and strengthened our newsroom, keeping us strong in uncertain times. As we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
We remain committed to bringing you the unwavering, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We are truly grateful for readers like you! Your early support helped get us here and strengthened our newsroom, keeping us strong in uncertain times. As we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
News themezone Support
Are you already a member? Sign in to hide these messages.
“We can de facto end Donald Trump’s presidency as we know it, the moment” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries “is sworn in as Speaker of the House,” Newsom said.