Locals rally in San Benito County against Prop. 50

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Residents gathered at the corner of Hwy 25 and Tres Pinos Rd on Oct. 18 to oppose Proposition 50, the measure spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would change California’s redistricting rules in an effort to counter Republican-led redistricting in red states.

Across social media, mailers and campaign signs, opposition to the measure is appearing throughout San Benito County. More than just an effort organized by the local Republican Party, it’s being supported by others who oppose the measure, local Republicans say. 

“Prop 50 seems to be a unifying factor, but it’s definitely very organic,” Peter Hernandez, local business owner, former county supervisor and former Republican candidate for the 18th Congressional District said. “You don’t have the structural organization at the local levels, but you have passionate people who do believe in this.”

Prop. 50 is part of Democrats’ strategy to counter Republican attempts to preserve their majority in the House of Representatives after the 2026 elections. In August, President Donald Trump asked Texas Republicans to redraw their state’s congressional map so as to flip five seats in the 2026 midterm elections and keep their current majority—a move Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initially resisted but ultimately agreed to pursue.

Unlike Texas, where redistricting can be approved through the state legislature, any change to congressional district boundaries in California must be submitted to voters. So, state Democrats—led by Newsom—put Prop. 50 on the Nov. 4 ballot to offset Texas’ gains.

Former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has emerged as a prominent voice opposing the measure. A longtime supporter of independent redistricting, he backed the 2008 initiative that created the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, which has drawn the state’s maps for the past 15 years. 

Currently in California, state and local redistricting occur every 10 years following U.S. census results.

Protecting that independence, Schwarzenegger says, is protecting democracy.

“What Texas is doing is wrong, but California doing the same thing in reverse isn’t the answer,” Schwarzenegger said in a mailer distributed across the county. “Californians are leaders in political reform. Our best defense to destructive politics is real transparency, accountability, and competition.”

Local Republican leader Robert Bernosky told BenitoLink that California should focus on its own challenges, rather than getting into national political fights.

“What Gov. Newsom is doing is using our state to oppose the president,” Bernosky said. “We have to worry about California and let others worry about themselves.”

State Democrats campaigning for a “Yes” vote say Prop 50 wouldn’t eliminate California’s independent redistricting commission. Instead, they say, it would only pause its work for five years until new maps are drawn after the 2030 census. Their stated goal is to flip enough congressional seats to push back against federal health care cuts that were mandated in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Local Republicans say that changing the maps midway through the decade violates California’s laws. “Basically it’s changing the rules midstream,” Hernandez said.

San Benito County Republican Party member Celeste Toledo-Bocanegra told BenitoLink that with Prop. 50 Newsom is “disregarding the California Constitution.”

“When you give politicians power, they have problems giving it back,” Toledo-Bocanegra said. “Prop. 50 is a big power-grab.”

If approved, Prop 50 will change the congressional district to which San Benito County belongs. Since 2021, the county has been part of District 18, a seat Democrats have held for more than three decades. The district also contains parts of Santa Clara County, including Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and sections of San Jose, as well as parts of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

The new maps, while keeping these areas, would add Coalinga, Avenal and their surrounding rural areas, to District 18. Both areas, in Fresno and Kings counties respectively, lean more Republican.

To Hernandez, this change poses a threat to rural communities.

“Rural communities are increasingly being absorbed into urban districts, and Prop. 50 would only accelerate that,” Hernandez told BenitoLink. “This means the issues facing rural communities will be ignored, and rural voters will lose their voice.”

In contrast, Bernosky said he believes adding Coalinga and Avenal and their surrounding areas could end up benefitting local Republicans by adding more red votes to District 18, potentially bringing them closer to electing a Republican representative. But the overall outcome could backfire, as Republicans may lose five congressional seats statewide, dropping from nine to four.

“Yes, it could increase our chances of having a Republican representation in San Benito County,” he said. “But that doesn’t do any better. What’s better for San Benito County is to have more statewide Republican representation.”

For the remaining two weeks of campaign, Toledo-Bocanegra said she is going to call registered Republicans in the county to remind them to vote “No” and offer to pick up and submit ballots.

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