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Democratic leaders from across the region gathered outside the Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center in San Jose on Oct. 3 to rally support for Proposition 50, a statewide measure set for the November ballot that would redraw California’s congressional districts to favor Democrats.
The event was led by State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta, Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, and local healthcare advocates.
All the speakers framed voting “yes” on Prop 50 as a way to push back against what they described as steep healthcare cuts enacted under Pres. Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress; especially through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to cut about $1 trillion in healthcare funding. It’s the same narrative Democrats are using nationally after the federal government shutdown on Oct. 1.
“We must show up and vote yes on Proposition 50,” Rivas said. “Because if we don’t, if Trump gets the unchecked power that he wants, no one, no one will stop him and the MAGA Republicans in Congress from defunding life-saving medical research. No one will stop them from gutting the CDC. No one will stop them from slashing healthcare for seniors.”
Prop. 50 is the Democrats’ strategy to counter Republican attempts to maintain control of the House of Representatives after the 2026 elections.
In August, Pres. Trump asked Texas Republicans to gerrymander their state’s congressional map to flip five seats in the 2026 midterm elections and keep their current majority.
Unlike Texas, where redistricting can be approved through the state legislature, any change to congressional boundaries in California must be submitted to voters. So, state Democrats—led by Gov. Gavin Newsom—put Prop 50 on the Nov. 4 ballot to favor Democrats and counter Texas’ gains.
“We are fighting fire with fire,” Panetta said.
Opponents of Prop. 50 argue that the measure would dismantle California’s 15-year-old independent redistricting system and threaten fair elections by giving one party greater control over how congressional districts are drawn. One of the most vocal leaders for the “no” on Prop. 50 is former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has opposed partisan gerrymandering and backed independent redistricting when it was first approved by voters in 2008
Rivas told BenitoLink that the new maps have been released for public review “in a very transparent way,” and emphasized that they would be temporary, until 2030, when new maps will be drawn following the next census.
“We are not eliminating our independent redistricting commission,” Rivas said. “It’s funny. Republicans, my colleagues in the legislature, all of a sudden are defenders and supporters of independent redistricting, which is great because they have never taken that position before.”
The speakers also pointed out the regional impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and claimed Prop. 50 would give Democrats the power to reverse those cuts if they regain control of the House next year.
U.S Representative Zoe Logfren said 17 rural hospitals in California are expected to close after Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill. Photo by Juan Pablo Pérez Burgos.
In California, 2.3 million people are estimated to lose their health insurance under the Act, representative Lofren said.
Ahrens added that in Santa Clara County alone $1 billion is being slashed by the cuts. “That means less healthcare for our most vulnerable residents,” he said.
Sonya Tetnowski, CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Indian Health Center—which provides medical services to Native American communities—said the cuts are forcing them to close their family medicine center and they expect to lose $14 million in funding.
Lauren Babb, chief public affairs officer for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, said the organization has already been forced to close five health centers, halt family medicine, behavioral health and prenatal care services, and lay off 15% of its workforce.
In San Benito County, a preliminary analysis by county staff found that the cuts would likely result in longer wait times for services and that the new requirements introduced by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill would likely increase staff burnout and turnover.
The report estimated that the changes would affect thousands of residents: more than 6,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries are expected to be affected by the new mandatory work requirements, and more than 2,000 by tighter immigration-related eligibility rules.
Lofgren also warned that the cuts could force as many as 17 rural hospitals across California to close. Rivas told BenitoLink that voting “yes” on Prop. 50 was crucial “to keep the doors of Hazel Hawkins open.”
“Donald Trump and his administration are doing everything they can to close the doors of our public hospital,” he said. “That’s what’s at stake with Proposition 50 in November.”
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