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	<title>Proposition 50 Archives - The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</title>
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	<title>Proposition 50 Archives - The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</title>
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		<title>Riverside County Sheriff Seizes 650,000 Ballots Amid Election Probe</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/riverside-county-sheriff-seizes-650000-ballots-amid-election-probe/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[HSJC Newsroom]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ballot seizure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chad Bianco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[election investigation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Riverside County]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=70507</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A dispute over election integrity in Riverside County has intensified after Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, confirmed his office has taken possession of more than 650,000 ballots from last year’s election. &#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Bianco said the move is part of an ongoing investigation into claims that some ballots may have been improperly cast in [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/riverside-county-sheriff-seizes-650000-ballots-amid-election-probe/">Riverside County Sheriff Seizes 650,000 Ballots Amid Election Probe</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A dispute over election integrity in Riverside County has intensified after Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, confirmed his office has taken possession of more than 650,000 ballots from last year’s election.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bianco said the move is part of an ongoing investigation into claims that some ballots may have been improperly cast in connection with the vote on Proposition 50. The measure, which reshaped congressional district boundaries, was widely viewed as benefiting Democrats, mirroring redistricting efforts seen in Republican-led states such as Texas.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;State officials, however, have firmly rejected those claims. According to reporting by the Riverside Record, the difference between the machine count and the final certified tally was just 103 votes—far smaller than what some critics have suggested.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The ballots were obtained after investigators from the sheriff’s office served search warrants on the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. Speaking at a press conference Friday, Bianco said a Superior Court judge has appointed a special master to oversee a physical count of the ballots.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“This is straightforward,” Bianco said. “We’re going to count the ballots by hand and compare that number to what was officially recorded.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The investigation gained traction in part due to concerns raised by the Riverside Election Integrity Team, a group of local residents. The group has alleged a discrepancy of more than 45,000 votes between official totals and handwritten tallies from hand-counted ballots.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Attorney General Rob Bonta pushed back strongly on those assertions, emphasizing that there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Counts, recounts, audits, and court rulings have all consistently supported the integrity of our elections,” Bonta said in a statement reported by the Los Angeles Times.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bonta also criticized the sheriff’s actions, calling the seizure of ballots highly unusual and warning it could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The situation carries political implications as well. Bianco is among the most visible Republicans in the race for governor, competing in a crowded primary field dominated by Democratic candidates. Under California’s top-two primary system, candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot, with the two highest vote-getters advancing to the general election.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In recent weeks, Bonta has sent multiple letters to Bianco’s office questioning both the legality and the methodology of the investigation. In one letter, he described the ballot seizure as “unacceptable” and cautioned that it sets a troubling precedent.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Proposition 50 itself was approved by California voters last year as part of a broader effort, backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, to counter redistricting moves in conservative states. Legal challenges from California Republicans and allies of former President Donald Trump were ultimately unsuccessful, with the U.S. Supreme Court declining to intervene.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/riverside-county-sheriff-seizes-650000-ballots-amid-election-probe/">Riverside County Sheriff Seizes 650,000 Ballots Amid Election Probe</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">70507</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Federal Court Upholds CA&#8217;s House Map Ahead Of 2026 Midterms</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/federal-court-upholds-cas-house-map-ahead-of-2026-midterms/</link>
					<comments>https://hsjchronicle.com/federal-court-upholds-cas-house-map-ahead-of-2026-midterms/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California redistricting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[federal court ruling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[partisan gerrymandering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[U.S. House elections 2026]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=69865</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>California can use a new voter-approved U.S. House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms, a federal three-judge panel ruled Wednesday. In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel in Los Angeles denied requests from state Republicans and the U.S. Justice Department to block the map from being used in future elections. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/federal-court-upholds-cas-house-map-ahead-of-2026-midterms/">Federal Court Upholds CA&#8217;s House Map Ahead Of 2026 Midterms</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">California can use a new voter-approved U.S. House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms, a federal three-judge panel ruled Wednesday.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel in Los Angeles denied requests from state Republicans and the U.S. Justice Department to block the map from being used in future elections. The complaint accused California of violating the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters when drawing the new district lines.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The map, aimed at giving Democrats a shot at flipping as many as five House seats next year, was decisively approved by voters through Proposition 50 in November. The effort was pushed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is eying a 2028 presidential run, to counter a similar effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump to help Republicans win five House seats. Republicans currently hold nine of California&#8217;s 52 congressional seats.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ruling is a victory for Democrats in the state-by-state mid-decade redistricting battle that could help determine which party wins control of the U.S. House in 2026. Following the tit-for-tat showdown between the nation’s two most populous states, several Republican-led states including Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage. Republican-run Utah was ordered by a judge to adopt a map that creates a Democratic-leaning district. The Justice Department has only sued California.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Republicans’ weak attempt to silence voters failed,&#8221; Newsom said in a statement.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Republicans are expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. A representative for state Republicans didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">California Democrats said that the new map was legal because it was drawn for partisan advantage. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that partisan gerrymandering is a political question and not one for the federal courts to decide. The California panel of judges affirmed the state&#8217;s characterization, saying there was not strong evidence to support the maps were drawn based on race.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“After reviewing the evidence, we conclude that it was exactly as one would think: it was partisan,” the judges wrote.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In dissent, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Lee, appointed by Trump, said that at least one district was drawn using race as a factor “to curry favor with Latino groups and voters.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ruling also comes after the Supreme Court ruled in December to allow Texas to use its new map for the 2026 election because it was drawn with partisan goals. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a concurring opinion that the California map was also approved for political advantage, signaling it may also stand.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">New U.S. House maps are drawn across the country after the census every 10 years. Some states like California rely on an independent commission to draw maps while others like Texas let politicians draw them. The effort to create new maps in the middle of the decade is highly unusual.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">House Democrats need to gain just a handful of seats next year to take control of the chamber, which could thwart Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his term and open the way for congressional investigations into his administration. Republicans hold a narrow margin of control in the House with 218 seats to Democrats’ 213.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/federal-court-upholds-cas-house-map-ahead-of-2026-midterms/">Federal Court Upholds CA&#8217;s House Map Ahead Of 2026 Midterms</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">69865</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Court battle begins over California’s new congressional map designed to favor Democrats</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/court-battle-begins/</link>
					<comments>https://hsjchronicle.com/court-battle-begins/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Associated Press]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[National]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California redistricting lawsuit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[congressional map legal challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[partisan gerrymandering debate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[U.S. House elections 2026]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=69510</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The fight over California’s new congressional map designed to help Democrats flip a string of U.S. House seats kicked off in court Monday, where a panel of federal judges is considering whether the rejiggered&#160;districts&#160;approved by voters last month can be used in elections. The hearing in Los Angeles sets the stage for a high-stakes legal [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/court-battle-begins/">Court battle begins over California’s new congressional map designed to favor Democrats</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The fight over California’s new congressional map designed to help Democrats flip a string of U.S. House seats kicked off in court Monday, where a panel of federal judges is considering whether the rejiggered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">districts</a>&nbsp;approved by voters last month can be used in elections.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The hearing in Los Angeles sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Trump administration and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gavin-newsom-california-president-2028-house-democrats-81f26408fd5a72605dc619b9d08a3793">eyeing a 2028 presidential run</a>. The lawsuit asks a three-judge panel to grant a temporary restraining order blocking the new map by Dec. 19 — the date candidates can take the first official steps to run in the 2026 elections when GOP control of the House will be in play.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-congress-election-661fbe88aa65d858fdfb4f119f4f92b2">approved California’s new House map</a>&nbsp;in November in so-called Proposition 50. It’s designed to help Democrats flip as many as five&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-congress-trump-california-8033414da22c409a8419ffb385caf579">seats in the midterm elections</a>. It was Newsom’s response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republicans-congress-redistricting-gerrymandering-texas-cb63c6b0102bc45a11515c6b33efc697">a Republican-led effort in Texas</a>&nbsp;backed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The showdown between the nation’s two most populous states has spread nationally, with efforts aiming to determine which party controls Congress for the second half of Trump’s term.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b">Missouri</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-trump-5dccfdf94253efb56c59bbb3d3e3a6d8">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-ohio-congressional-redistricting-trump-midterm-election-6c617a08c84f453eacc1727f9be9ef52">Ohio</a>&nbsp;have adopted new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some plans are facing legal challenges, but the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">ruled</a>&nbsp;earlier this month to allow Texas to use its new map for the 2026 election. The Justice Department has only sued California.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-justice-department-lawsuit-025b00f0b3490a5fa8219c4376bcb9d2">Justice Department</a>, joining a case brought by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-legal-challenges-republican-7148dda9a171a0e279010d1eaf0d22d2">California Republican Party</a>, has accused California of gerrymandering its map in violation of the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters. Republicans want the court to prohibit California from using the new map. Voters approved the map for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. State Democrats said they’re confident the lawsuit will fail.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“In letting Texas use its gerrymandered maps, the Supreme Court noted that California’s maps, like Texas’, were drawn for lawful reasons,” Newsom’s spokesperson Brandon Richards said in a statement. “That should be the beginning and the end of this Republican effort to silence the voters of California.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The lawsuit cites a news release from state Democrats that says the new map “retains and expands Voting Rights Act districts that empower Latino voters” while making no changes to Black majority districts in the Oakland and Los Angeles areas. The federal Voting Rights Act, passed in the 1960s, sets rules for drawing districts to ensure minority groups have adequate political power. The lawsuit also cites a Cal Poly Pomona and Caltech study that concludes the new map would increase Latino voting power.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50 — the recent ballot initiative that junked California’s pre-existing electoral map in favor of a rush-job rejiggering of California’s congressional district lines,” the lawsuit said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Justice Department alleges that Paul Mitchell, a redistricting consultant who drew the map for Democrats, and state leaders admitted that they redrew some districts to have a Latino majority.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The hearing began with a dense, technical discussion spotlighting how one of the districts — the 13th, in the state’s Central Valley — was designed, touching on issues like the Hispanic voting age population, census population blocks and different software used manage and massage the data.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Race was the predominant interest in drawing the district,” elections analyst Sean Trende, called by the plaintiffs, told the judges. He pointed to a thumb-like appendage jutting out of the northern end of the new district, which he characterized as a precise knife cut to capture certain voters.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Defense attorneys picked away at his analysis, questioning in part whether political shifts in the region could have dictated how lines were drawn rather than racial considerations. At one point Trende acknowledged that the thumb-like bump in the district boundary was not as extreme as congressional maps seen in other states.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">New U.S. House maps are drawn across the country after the Census every 10 years. Some states like California rely on an independent commission to draw maps, while others like Texas let politicians draw them. The effort to create new maps in the middle of the decade is highly unusual.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">House Democrats need to gain just a handful of seats next year to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-house-trump-newsom-democrats-republicans-43868bbcfb81cf2b1ef5d2862b2665a9">take control of the chamber</a>, which would imperil Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his term and open the way for congressional investigations into his administration. Republicans hold 220 seats and the Democrats hold 213.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/court-battle-begins/">Court battle begins over California’s new congressional map designed to favor Democrats</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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		<title>Newsom appears onstage at Texas rally to celebrate Prop. 50 victory, take swipes at Trump</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/newsom-appears-onstage-at-texas-rally-to-celebrate-prop-50-win/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[LA Times]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gavin Newsom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Texas Redistricting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[U.S. House Midterms]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=69111</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Gov. Gavin Newsom strode onstage in Houston on Saturday to a cheering crowd of Texas Democrats, saying&#160;Proposition 50’s victory in California on election day&#160;was a win for the nation and a firm repudiation of President Trump. Newsom possessed the air of a politician running for president at the boisterous rally, a possibility the California governor [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/newsom-appears-onstage-at-texas-rally-to-celebrate-prop-50-win/">Newsom appears onstage at Texas rally to celebrate Prop. 50 victory, take swipes at Trump</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Gov. Gavin Newsom strode onstage in Houston on Saturday to a cheering crowd of Texas Democrats, saying&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/PHPC1/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-11-05/prop-50-california-special-election-newsom-trump-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proposition 50’s victory in California on election day</a>&nbsp;was a win for the nation and a firm repudiation of President Trump.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Newsom possessed the air of a politician running for president at the boisterous rally, a possibility the California governor says he is considering — and the location he chose was not happenstance.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Newsom accused Trump of pressuring Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to rejigger the state’s congressional districts with the goal of sending more Republicans to Congress, an action that triggered California’s Proposition 50. Newsom successfully pushed for a special election on the ballot measure to counter the efforts in Texas, which the governor said wasan attempt by Trump and the Republicans to “rig” the 2026 midterm election.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cheers erupted from the friendly, union-hall crowd when Newsom belittled Trump as an “invasive species” and a “historically unpopular president.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“On every issue, on the economy, on terrorists, on immigration, on healthcare, [he’s a] historically unpopular president, and he knows it, and he knows it,” Newsom said. “Why else did he make that call to your governor? Why else did he feel the need to rig the election before even one vote was cast? That’s just weakness, weakness masquerading as strength. That’s Donald Trump, and he had a very bad night on Tuesday.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://archive.ph/o/PHPC1/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-11-05/prop-50-california-special-election-newsom-trump-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newsom was the main political force&nbsp;</a>behind Proposition 50, which California voters overwhelmingly approved in Tuesday’s special election. The statewide ballot measure was an attempt to counter Trump’s push to get Republican-led states, most notably Texas, to redraw their electoral maps to keep Democrats from gaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms and upending his agenda. Newsom and California Democrats hope the change will net an additional five Democrats in California’s congressional delegation, canceling out any gains in Texas.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Newsom thanked Texas Democrats for putting up a fight against the redistricting effort in their state, saying it inspired an uprising.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It’s dawning on people, all across the United States of America, what’s at stake,” Newsom told the crowd. “And you put a stake in the ground. People are showing up. I don’t believe in crowns, thrones. No kings.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Newsom’s trip to Texas comes as the former San Francisco mayor has been openly flirting with a 2028 run for president. In a recent interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning,”&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/PHPC1/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-26/la-me-newsom-president" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newsom was asked whether he would give “serious thought” after the 2026 midterms to a White House bid.</a></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” Newsom replied. “I’d just be lying. And I’m not — I can’t do that.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In July,&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/PHPC1/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2025-07-10/newsom-tours-the-rural-deep-south-as-he-mulls-2028-run-for-presidency" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newsom flew to South Carolina,&nbsp;</a>a state that traditionally hosts the South’s first presidential primary. He said he wanted to help his party win back the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. But South Carolina is a solidly conservative state and did not appear to have a single competitive race.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">During that trip, South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black member of Congress and renowned Democratic kingmaker, told The Times that Newsom would be “a hell of a candidate.” Newsom received similar praise — and encouragement — when he was introduced at the “Take It Back” rally in Houston.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Newsom now heads to Belém, Brazil, where representatives from 200 nations are gathering to kick off the annual United Nations climate policy summit. For Newsom, it’s a golden opportunity to appear on a world stage and<a href="https://archive.ph/o/PHPC1/https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-11-07/what-to-know-about-cop30" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;sell himself and California as the antidote to Trump and his attacks on climate change policy.</a></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Trump administration this year canceled funding for major clean energy projects such as California’s hydrogen hub and moved to revoke the state’s long-held authority to set stricter vehicle emissions standards than the federal government.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/newsom-appears-onstage-at-texas-rally-to-celebrate-prop-50-win/">Newsom appears onstage at Texas rally to celebrate Prop. 50 victory, take swipes at Trump</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">69111</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Trump, contradicting the California GOP, opposes early and mail-in voting in Prop. 50 election</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/trump-contradicting-the-california-gop/</link>
					<comments>https://hsjchronicle.com/trump-contradicting-the-california-gop/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[LA Times]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California redistricting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gavin Newsom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mail-in voting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=68999</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>President Trump urged California voters on Sunday not to cast mail-in ballots or vote early in the California election about redistricting — the direct opposite of the message from state GOP leaders. Repeating his false claim that former President Biden beat him in 2020 because the election was rigged, Trump argued that the November special [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/trump-contradicting-the-california-gop/">Trump, contradicting the California GOP, opposes early and mail-in voting in Prop. 50 election</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">President Trump urged California voters on Sunday not to cast mail-in ballots or vote early in the California election about redistricting — the direct opposite of the message from state GOP leaders.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Repeating his false claim that former President Biden beat him in 2020 because the election was rigged, Trump argued that the November special election about redistricting in California would be rigged, as would the 2026 midterm election to determine control of Congress.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“No mail-in or ‘Early’ Voting, Yes to Voter ID! Watch how totally dishonest the California Prop Vote is! Millions of Ballots being ‘shipped,’”&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/lWAaL/https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115441871289276790" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump wrote on Truth Social</a>. “GET SMART REPUBLICANS, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://archive.ph/o/lWAaL/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-01/2025-california-election-proposition-50-redistricting-voter-guide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proposition 50, a ballot measure</a>&nbsp;proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other California Democrats to redraw the state’s congressional districts to boost their party’s ranks in the U.S. House of Representatives, is on the Nov. 4 ballot.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The rare mid-decade redistricting effort was in response to Trump urging GOP-led states, initially Texas, to increase the number of Republicans in the House in the 2026 midterm election to allow him to continue implementing his agenda in his final two years in the White House.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://archive.ph/o/lWAaL/https://x.com/GavinNewsom/status/1982530267328970827" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newsom responded to Trump</a>&nbsp;on X: “Ramblings of an old man that knows he’s going to LOSE.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Trump has not weighed in on the merits of Proposition 50, while prominent Democrats who support it have,&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/lWAaL/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-14/ad-former-president-obama-proposition-50-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">including former President Obama</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://archive.ph/o/lWAaL/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-22/voter-turnout-exceeds-expectations-in-proposition-50-special-election" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">More than 4 million mail-in ballots</a>&nbsp;— 18% of the ballots sent to California’s 23 million voters — had been returned as of Friday, according to a vote tracker run by Democratic redistricting expert Paul Mitchell, who drew the proposed maps on the ballot. Democrats continue to outpace Republicans in returning ballots, 51% to 28%. Voters registered without a party preference or with other political parties have returned 21% of the ballots.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Early-voting centers also opened in 29 counties on Saturday.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Turnout figures were alarming Republicans leaders before Trump’s message.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It’s simple. Republicans need to stop complaining and vote. We ask and ask and ask and yet turnout still lags,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/lWAaL/https://x.com/RPSDC/status/1982158321760297233" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">San Diego GOP posted on X</a>. “To win this one GOP turnout needs to be materially better than average. It’s very doable but won’t just happen. Work it.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Republicans historically voted early while Democrats were more likely to cast ballots on election day. Trump upended this dynamic, creating dissonance with GOP leaders across the nation who recognized the value of banking early votes. And it completely contradicts the messaging by the opponents of Proposition 50.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Jessica Millan Patterson, a former chair of the state GOP and leader of the “No on Prop. 50 — Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab” committee, has been a longtime proponent of urging Republican voters to cast ballots as early and conveniently as possible.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Sacramento politicians rushed this costly election for partisan gain, and mistakes have been made,” she said Sunday evening. “If Californians want change from our state’s failed one-party rule, it starts by turning out to vote no on Proposition 50.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/trump-contradicting-the-california-gop/">Trump, contradicting the California GOP, opposes early and mail-in voting in Prop. 50 election</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">68999</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Soros Gives $10 Million to Newsom Redistricting Fight</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/soros-gives-10-million-to-newsom-redistricting-fight/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Contributed]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California redistricting measure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gavin Newsom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[George Soros donation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=68569</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Gov. Gavin Newsom has raised roughly $70 million in less than two months for the California ballot measure to redraw the state’s congressional lines, with the family of the prominent Democratic financier George Soros recently kicking in $10 million, according to two people with direct knowledge of the fund-raising. The $10 million donation makes the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/soros-gives-10-million-to-newsom-redistricting-fight/">Soros Gives $10 Million to Newsom Redistricting Fight</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Gov. Gavin Newsom has raised roughly $70 million in less than two months for the California ballot measure to redraw the state’s congressional lines, with the family of the prominent Democratic financier George Soros recently kicking in $10 million, according to two people with direct knowledge of the fund-raising.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The $10 million donation makes the Soros family the single largest funder in favor of the redistricting ballot measure. And it comes at a moment when President Trump has explicitly called for Mr. Soros and his son Alex to be investigated&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/zM1lY/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/us/politics/trump-kirk-free-speech-hate-speech-left.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">as part of an escalation of his efforts to clamp down on political opposition</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mr. Newsom has cast the measure, Proposition 50, as a way for Democrats to counter efforts by Mr. Trump and his allies to squeeze more safe districts out of red states before the 2026 midterms. Texas has already approved new gerrymandered maps that deliver as many as five new Republican seats in the U.S. House. Control of Congress, and Mr. Trump’s ability to enact his agenda relatively unchecked by lawmakers, is at stake next fall.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The California measure on the ballot in November will ask voters in the state to adopt new maps that would create as many as five new safe Democratic seats, effectively canceling out Texas.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The fight to sway Californians on which way to vote — yes or no —&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/zM1lY/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/us/elections/california-redistricting-fundraising-newsom.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is expected to top $200 million</a>. The people with knowledge of the Newsom fund-raising effort spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose numbers not yet made public.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mr. Trump has increasingly focused on Mr. Soros and his family, claiming without evidence that Mr. Soros has fomented violent protests.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Soros, and his group of psychopaths, have caused great damage to our Country! That includes his Crazy, West Coast friends. Be careful, we’re watching you!&#8221; Mr. Trump wrote on his social media site last month.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The attacks have ratcheted up since the assassination of the right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk last week, as Mr. Trump and his top officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/zM1lY/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/us/politics/trump-kirk-free-speech-hate-speech-left.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vowed to go after liberal groups</a>&nbsp;like Mr. Soros’s Open Society Foundations. On Fox News, Mr. Trump revived his calls for prosecutors to pursue racketeering charges against Mr. Soros. “We’re going to look into Soros because I think it’s a RICO case against him and other people because this is more than protests,”&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/o/zM1lY/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/us/politics/trump-kirk-political-opponents.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">he said</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Liberal organizations, including Mr. Soros’s group, <a href="https://archive.ph/o/zM1lY/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/us/politics/trump-liberal-philanthropies-pushback.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forcefully defended their philanthropic missions</a> in an open letter this week.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Newsom officials declined to comment on the fund-raising numbers. A spokesman for Mr. Soros said in a statement that “this ballot measure temporarily changes the way lines are drawn in California, giving voters the opportunity to level the national playing field.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Other top individual contributors to the Democratic effort in California so far are Michael Moritz, a billionaire Silicon Valley venture capitalist and major party donor, who gave $2.5 million, and Reed Hastings, the Netflix co-founder, who gave $2 million, public filings show.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a sign of the national stakes, the leading super PAC for House Democrats has transferred $7.6 million and the Democratic Governors Association’s political arm has given $2 million more, according to the filings.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The largest donor to the opposing side, Charles T. Munger Jr., has given more than $30 million to stop Mr. Newsom’s measure, which would roll back the state’s independent redistricting commission until the next census to allow for the new partisan maps. Mr. Munger had financed the original measure stripping lawmakers of the power to draw district lines.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mr. Newsom’s team has also aggressively raised money online, hosting a streaming telethon-like show this week with prominent Democratic influencers and politicians, including Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Mr. Newsom’s ballot campaign has processed nearly 700,000 grass-roots contributions, totaling $22.1 million, according to the two people with knowledge of the fund-raising.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Labor organizations have given nearly $20 million, led by $3 million from the California Teachers Association.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So far, the measure’s opponents have outspent its proponents on television and digital ads, $10.1 million to $7.9 million, according to reservation data compiled by AdImpact, the ad tracking service.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/soros-gives-10-million-to-newsom-redistricting-fight/">Soros Gives $10 Million to Newsom Redistricting Fight</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">68569</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>How California redistricting would affect the Inland Empire</title>
		<link>https://hsjchronicle.com/how-california-redistricting-would-affect-the-inland-empire/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Contributed]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California redistricting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[congressional districts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gerrymandering controversy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inland Empire politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proposition 50]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hsjchronicle.com/?p=68331</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A divide-and-conquer ethos could shape the Inland Empire’s representation in Congress. Maps for new&#160;House of Representatives&#160;districts&#160;going before California voters Nov. 4&#160;would dilute — if not outright erase — GOP voters’ influence in Riverside County by splitting up red cities that form a backbone of support for Republicans&#160;Ken Calvert&#160;of Corona and&#160;Darrell Issa&#160;of San Diego County. If [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/how-california-redistricting-would-affect-the-inland-empire/">How California redistricting would affect the Inland Empire</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A divide-and-conquer ethos could shape the Inland Empire’s representation in Congress.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Maps for new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/tag/congress/">House of Representatives</a>&nbsp;districts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/08/25/whats-next-for-california-redistricting-an-expensive-election/">going before California voters Nov. 4</a>&nbsp;would dilute — if not outright erase — GOP voters’ influence in Riverside County by splitting up red cities that form a backbone of support for Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://calvert.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ken Calvert</a>&nbsp;of Corona and&nbsp;<a href="https://issa.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Darrell Issa</a>&nbsp;of San Diego County.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If approved by voters,&nbsp;<a href="https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/statewide-elections/public-display/prop-50-title-summary.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proposition 50</a>, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, would obliterate Calvert’s purple district, potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/08/14/could-california-redistricting-cost-inland-rep-ken-calvert-reelection/">jeopardizing his three-decade run</a>&nbsp;on Capitol Hill. Issa would go from a safe red district to one with a plurality of Democratic voters.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://interactives.ap.org/ca-redistrict/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The new maps drawn by Democrats</a>&nbsp;leave existing districts in San Bernardino County and eastern Los Angeles County relatively untouched, letting incumbents of both parties run for safe seats.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://selc.senate.ca.gov/proposed-congressional-map" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The shifting lines</a>&nbsp;also spare Reps.&nbsp;<a href="https://takano.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Takano</a>, D-Riverside and&nbsp;<a href="https://ruiz.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Raul Ruiz</a>, D-Palm Desert, whose districts include much of Riverside County.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Not surprisingly, California Republicans are seething over the overtly partisan mapmaking.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Republican Party of Riverside County Chairwoman Lori Stone called the new maps “nothing short of a blatant power grab” by Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/tag/gavin-newsom/">Gov. Gavin Newsom</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Inland Californians have already been heavily disenfranchised through gerrymandering and now he is openly talking about erasing our voice altogether,” Stone, a Murrieta city councilmember, said via email.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">California Democratic leaders, who used their supermajority to zip Prop. 50 through the legislature, argue the new maps wouldn’t be needed if Texas’ Republican majority, prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/tag/donald-trump/">President Donald Trump</a>, hadn’t redrawn the Lone Star State’s House districts to add more red seats ahead of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/tag/2026-elections/">2026 midterm elections</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Californians believe in democracy and freedom, and we will not stand by while the House is hijacked by authoritarianism,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, said after Newsom&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2025/08/21/california-democrats-tee-up-votes-on-redistricting-proposal-in-the-statehouse/">signed legislation</a>&nbsp;authorizing the November special election.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Currently, the GOP holds&nbsp;<a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a narrow House majority</a>. A few flipped seats — or gerrymandered districts — could decide control of the chamber for the remainder of Trump’s term, effectively empowering or blunting his agenda.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Historically, the president’s party loses congressional seats in midterms. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/democrats-lead-the-us-house-generic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recent polls</a>&nbsp;show Democrats in good position to win back the House after losing it in 2024.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Political redistricting in California normally happens 10 years after the census.&nbsp;<a href="https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">An independent commission</a>, legally obligated to exclude partisanship from mapmaking, draws the lines with public input.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Prop. 50 asks voters to use the new maps — drawn without public feedback — for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections, after which the commission would take back the mapmaking pen.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new maps for California’s 52 House districts would not affect boundaries for state legislative districts. Nor does Prop. 50 ask voters to elect anyone.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Prop. 50 comes as Inland Republicans, after watching local Democrats gain voters and rack up a string of wins in competitive races since 2012,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2024/12/22/why-did-inland-empire-republicans-do-so-well-in-nov-5-election/">enjoyed a fruitful 2024 election cycle</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Trump became the first GOP presidential candidate in 20 years to win Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Underdog Republicans won two Assembly seats in Riverside County. And since 2020, the GOP&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/07/21/is-the-inland-empire-becoming-more-republican-heres-what-the-numbers-say/">has outpaced Democrats in voter registration</a>&nbsp;in more than 30 Inland cities.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Inland Republicans also are making their mark statewide.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Former Inland GOP Assemblymember Bill Essayli&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/04/02/inland-assemblymember-bill-essayli-named-u-s-attorney-for-central-california/">is now U.S. attorney</a>&nbsp;for much of Southern California. Republican and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/02/17/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-announces-california-governor-run-in-2026/">is running for governor</a>. And conservative Chino Hills school board President Sonja Shaw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailybulletin.com/2025/03/14/chino-valley-school-board-president-sonja-shaw-to-run-for-state-superintendent-of-public-instruction/">hopes to become</a>&nbsp;the new state superintendent of public instruction.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Currently, five Democrats and four Republicans represent Riverside and San Bernardino counties in the House. Most have a clear path to reelection with the new maps, including Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://obernolte.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jay Obernolte</a>, R-Hesperia.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If voters approve redistricting, Obernolte likely would run in the new version of his 23rd Congressional District, which includes communities he now represents in San Bernardino County’s High Desert and the San Bernardino mountains. The new 23rd would expand south to include Blythe in far eastern Riverside County.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/RPE-L-IEDISTRICTS-0815-18.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="In the proposed 23rd Congressional District, Big Bear City and Yucaipa would be part of a sprawling district stretching north of Barstow and to Blythe. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)" style="width:832px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In the proposed 23rd Congressional District, Big Bear City and Yucaipa would be part of a sprawling district stretching north of Barstow and to Blythe. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Like Obernolte’s current district, the redrawn 23rd has a plurality of GOP voters. Ruiz, Takano and Reps.&nbsp;<a href="https://aguilar.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pete Aguilar</a>, D-San Bernardino, and&nbsp;<a href="https://torres.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Norma Torres</a>, D-Ontario, would likely run in blue districts encompassing much of the same turf they represent now.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Not all cities would stay in the same district if the new maps are approved.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Claremont, for example, would go from a seat held by Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://chu.house.gov/">Judy Chu,</a>&nbsp;D-Pasadena to the district where Torres would likely run in 2026. Chino Hills, Eastvale, Norco — a GOP stronghold — and north Corona also would go into a district where 43% of registered voters are Democrats compared to 26% for Republicans.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/RPE-L-IEDISTRICTS-0815-23.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="In the proposed 35th Congressional District, Claremont, Upland, Ontario, Fontana, Chino Hills, Eastvale, Norco and part of Corona would be included. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)" style="width:832px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In the proposed 35th Congressional District, Claremont, Upland, Ontario, Fontana, Chino Hills, Eastvale, Norco and part of Corona would be included. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)<br></figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In an emailed statement, Norco Mayor Greg Newton said he’s concerned Norco “will not receive the same level of advocacy or support in a (new) district that crosses county lines, with much larger cities who have different needs than Norco.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We had a redistricting commission, who was conscientious about fair representation,” Newton added. “I don’t believe the time spent doing that work should be dismissed. Redistricting should be done by the people, not the politicians.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Temecula Mayor Brenden Kalfus noted that his city, founded in 1989, has always been represented by Republicans in the House and has “benefitted greatly” by getting tens of millions of federal dollars for infrastructure.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kalfus said the city will work with whoever represents it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I respect the will of the voters,” he said via email. “I respected the previous will of the voters to have an independent redistricting commission redraw the congressional lines … and I will also respect the will of the voters in November 2025, should they decide to adopt redrawn lines mid-cycle.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Right now, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://youngkim.house.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Young Kim</a>, R-Anaheim Hills, represents the 40th Congressional District, which includes parts of Orange County along with parts of Chino Hills and Corona.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Redistricting likely would put Kim, a top 2026 Democratic target, in a red district with a bigger slice of the Inland Empire. The redrawn 40th would merge parts of Orange County with Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Temescal Valley, Wildomar and south Corona.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/RPE-L-IEDISTRICTS-0815-25.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="In the proposed 40th Congressional District, Rancho Santa Margarita and Villa Park are included in a district that stretches east into the Inland Empire, picking up the Temescal Valley, Lake Elsinore, Menifee and Murrieta. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)" style="width:832px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In the proposed 40th Congressional District, Rancho Santa Margarita and Villa Park are included in a district that stretches east into the Inland Empire, picking up the Temescal Valley, Lake Elsinore, Menifee and Murrieta. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)<br></figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Marcia Godwin, a professor of public administration at the University of La Verne, said via email that the proposed 40th’s shape “seems to be related to Voting Rights Act compliance along with the need for Republicans in Calvert’s district to be relocated.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It may be incidental that Kim has been rated as one of the more effective representatives and has cosponsored bills in Democrats more than the typical Republican members,” Godwin added.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 40th’s proposed redesign goes to the heart of Democrats’ strategy to boost their prospects by splitting up Riverside County’s red cities. Issa, for example, would lose GOP-friendly Murrieta to the redrawn 40th.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead, Issa’s 48th Congressional District would inherit deep blue Palm Springs. That district, which would include northeast San Diego County, would go from red — 48% Republican, 29% Democratic — to slightly blue, with 37% of voters being Democrats compared to 33% for Republicans.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://www.pressenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/RPE-L-IEDISTRICTS-0815-26.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1" alt="In the proposed 48th Congressional District, Hemet, Palm Springs and part of Temecula would join a district stretching into northern San Diego County. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)" style="width:832px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In the proposed 48th Congressional District, Hemet, Palm Springs and part of Temecula would join a district stretching into northern San Diego County. (Courtesy of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The new 48th “may be more competitive than has been portrayed,” Godwin said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“If you look just at the 2024 presidential vote, it looks like the gerrymander will be successful. If you look at several election cycles, it appears to be more evenly divided. It appears that the Democratic Party is counting on a boost in turnout from Democratic voters.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It could be even worse for Calvert, who would lose his&nbsp;<a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9306398/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">41st Congressional District</a>&nbsp;entirely. The new 41st would be outside the Inland Empire, potentially forcing Calvert, who’s on Democrats’ target list, to either run in a blue district or compete with fellow Republican Kim in the new 40th.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The current 41st’s demise would upend the campaigns of the half dozen or so Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/06/17/why-are-so-many-democrats-running-against-inland-rep-ken-calvert/">who plan to challenge Calvert</a>&nbsp;in 2026.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/06/04/jason-byors-plans-to-run-against-inland-rep-ken-calvert-in-2026/">Jason Byors</a>, recently announced plans to run for Assembly. At least two others —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pressenterprise.com/2025/04/07/democrat-brandon-riker-plans-to-run-against-rep-ken-calvert-in-2026/">Anuj Dixit</a>&nbsp;and Brandon Riker — plan to run in the new 48th.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Palm Springs is my home,” Riker said via email. “While the district lines may change, my mission stays the same: to fight for this community every single day.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Most people dislike gerrymandering and want independent commissions to draw political districts, Shaun Bowler, a UC Riverside political science professor, said via email.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He noted that the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 allowed partisan mapmaking by refusing to overturn a GOP gerrymander in North Carolina. It’s unclear, he added, whether the high court’s conservative majority “will stand by its own precedent or overturn what California is doing because this time it is the Democrats” doing it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Starting down this road of gerrymandering and partisan courts means that institutions are undermined because people don’t&nbsp; see them as legitimate,” Bowler said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“There may be short-term partisan gains … but with serious longer-term costs as public support erodes. It’s why many of the people who study politics and history are really quite nervous.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com/how-california-redistricting-would-affect-the-inland-empire/">How California redistricting would affect the Inland Empire</a> appeared first on <a href="https://hsjchronicle.com">The Hemet &amp; San Jacinto Chronicle</a>.</p>
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