Former President Barack Obama joined California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 22 for a virtual volunteer event urging support for Proposition 50, the ballot measure that would let California redraw its congressional maps in response to Republican redistricting efforts in other states.
Speaking to thousands of volunteers on the livestream, Obama said the initiative reflects a larger test for American democracy.
“It is important for all of you to understand that what is at stake here is not simply how many delegates from the Democratic Party or Republican Party are elected in 2026,” Obama said. “There’s a broader principle at stake that has to do with whether or not our democracy can be manipulated by those who are already empowered to entrench themselves further, or whether we’re going to have a system that allows the people to decide who’s going to represent them.”…