Who is funding Prop 50? – NBC Los Angeles

The Nov. 4 special election will determine whether California will redraw the state’s congressional district lines as Proposition 50 seeks to temporarily bypass the California Citizens Redistricting Commission and the state to use the newly drawn congressional district maps, in time for the 2026 midterm elections. 

Prop 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, is backed by Governor Gavin Newsom and the leaders from the state assembly and senate. Newsom has outright said the state ballot measure is California’s attempt to “fight fire with fire” and counter Texas’ new congressional map that favors Republican candidates and could help the GOP maintain the control over the U.S. House of Representatives.

The people behind “Yes on Prop 50” want Californians to approve the proposal, arguing it would give California voters an opportunity to “push back against President Trump’s power grab in Texas and other Republican-led states.

Those in the “No on Prop 50” group is asking voters to reject the ballot measure, saying this is a direct violation of Prop 11, which Californians approved in 2008 and created a 14-member independent commission, giving it the authority to draw the district lines every 10 years based on the census data. 

Prop 50 has generated tens of millions of dollars in contribution, with both sides aggressively putting on ads ahead of Nov. 4. With more than $82 million raised for the proposition as of Tuesday, see who is funding the efforts to support or oppose Prop 50.

Who is supporting Prop 50?

Three committees have been formed to raise funding to pass Prop 50, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Among them, the Election Rigging Response Act, Governor Newsom’s Ballot Measure committee has raised the most amount of money with nearly $40 million contributions. 

The largest amount of money donated to “Yes on Prop 50” came from the Fund for Policy Reform. The lobbyist group founded by billionaire George Soros donated $10 million.

The House Majority PAC (HMP), a Democrat-led super PAC, has donated $9.9 million for the Election Rigging Response Act, Governor Newsom’s Ballot Measure committee.

Influential labor unions like the National Education Association, California Teachers Association and California Nurses Association have donated nearly $3 million each.

The political campaign that funded Newsom’s 2022 gubernatorial reelection effort has transferred $2.6 million. A politician’s campaign funds can be legally transferred or donated to political party committees or candidates. 

Who is opposing Prop 50?

Two committees raised over $7.6 million to the “No on Prop 50” campaign as of Tuesday.

Charles Thomas Munger, Jr. donated over $32 million as his name has been blasting all across the airwaves and social media platforms.

Munger, a key ally of former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was instrumental in passing 2008’s Voters FIRST Act that gave Californians the power to draw congressional district lines every 10 years through the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. 

A Republican super PAC called the Congressional Leadership Fund whose donors include Elon Musk contributed $5 million to the “No on Prop 50” campaign, Federal Election Commission records show. 

California’s notable GOP leaders: The election campaigns for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his successor Congressman Vince Fong have donated $1 million each to the “no” campaign. 

Congressman Ken Calvert, whose Congressional District 41 would be heavily impacted if Prop 50 is approved, donated over $276,000 from his reelection campaign funds.

A Native American group is among the donors for the “no” campaign. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians contributed $25,000. NBCLA reached out to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to clarify its possible link to Prop 50 and California-related issues.