Obama appears in ad urging CA voters to approve Prop. 50, joining fight for US House control

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barack Obama is entering the combat for U.S. House power by appearing successful a 30-second advertisement urging California voters to o.k. a November ballot connection that could adhd arsenic galore arsenic 5 Democrat-held House seats successful California.

Proposition 50 would dramatically reshape California's legislature districts with the intent of adding Democratic seats successful Congress. It's crafted to summation Democratic House control, aimed astatine offsetting President Donald Trump's moves successful Texas and elsewhere to assistance triumph much Republican seats successful the 2026 midterm election.

"Republicans privation to bargain capable seats successful Congress to rig the adjacent predetermination and wield unchecked powerfulness for 2 much years," Obama says successful the ad, looking straight into the camera. "You tin halt Republicans successful their tracks."

MORE: Billionaire's lad down 'No connected Prop. 50' says he's warring gerrymandering - not helping Trump

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has framed the predetermination arsenic a referendum connected each things Trump, who is unpopular successful liberal-leaning California extracurricular of his blimpish base. Voting connected the connection is underway and concludes Nov. 4.

Republicans and different opponents accidental the connection amounts to a Democratic powerfulness drawback that would acceptable speech territory lines crafted by an autarkic committee that was created by voters much than a decennary ago.

The duel betwixt California and Texas, the nation's 2 astir populous states, has dispersed nationally. North Carolina Republican legislative leaders announced plans Monday to ballot adjacent week connected redrawing the state's House territory map, taking up Trump's telephone to unafraid much GOP seats nationwide and defy rival moves by Democrats.

Republicans clasp a 219-213 bulk successful the U.S. House, with 3 vacancies.

If approved successful California, it's imaginable the caller governmental representation could slash 5 Republican-held House seats portion bolstering Democratic incumbents successful different battleground districts. That could boost the Democratic borderline to 48 of California's 52 legislature seats, up from the 43 seats the enactment present holds.