Who’s donating millions for, against Prop. 50, California’s redistricting fight?
Less than 50 days from the Nov. 4 special election, the Yes and No camps on Prop. 50 are raising and spending millions to support messaging and turnout operations during the abbreviated campaign.
Department of Finance Chief Deputy Director Erika Li estimated the election will cost counties $251.3 million, and another $31.3 million to the state, according to a letter she sent State Controller Malia Cohen earlier this month. That’s more than the $200 million the 2021 recall election cost.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is spearheading the Yes side through his ballot measure committee, which has seen millions pour in from national Democrats, labor and small donations.
Two separate campaigns are fighting Prop. 50 with different messaging and targets. GOP funder Charles Munger Jr. is bankrolling Protect Voters First, which is targeting moderate and unaffiliated voters. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and ex-CAGOP chair Jessica Millan Patterson are pushing turnout from the Republican and anti-Newsom base with No on 50 — Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab.
Here’s a breakdown of the $1 million-plus donations to Newsom’s ballot measure committee:
- Over $12 million from labor groups including SEIU, the California Teachers Association and the California Nurses Association
- More than $5 million from House Democrats’ campaign committee
- $2.5 million from Michael Moritz, an early Google and PayPal investor
- $2 million from the Democratic Governors Association
- $2 million from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings
- $2 million from Newsom’s gubernatorial campaign account
- $1 million from Dem funder Bill Bloomfield
The Yes on 50 campaign also boasted $1 million in small donations which came from all 50 states during a virtual campaign rally earlier this week. Newsom tapped a stable of Democratic Party leaders and friendly influencers to advocate for his redistricting gambit, framing it as the best chance for Democrats to regain the House majority in 2026 and stop Congress from advancing President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda.
As Newsom considers a bundle of AI regulation bills on his desk, some industry players are donating to his ballot measure campaign, including $15,000 each from Google and Kent Walker, the company’s president of global affairs. Geoff Ralston, a former Y Combinator president who’s now running a venture firm focused on AI safety, gave $100,000.
Other honorable mentions include $500,000 from Blue Shield of California and $75,000 from UnitedHealthcare — two companies which benefited from no-bid COVID-19 contracts after donating to Newsom.
Munger, McCarthy lead No on Prop. 50 efforts
McCarthy told California congressional Republicans in August that he wants to raise $100 million for the effort.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC controlled by House Republicans, has donated $5 million to McCarthy and Patterson’s “No on Prop. 50 Stop the Sacramento Power Grab” effort.
Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, whose rural North State district could be redrawn to include two liberal Bay Area counties, has donated about $19,000. Assemblymember James Gallagher, who stepped down as that chamber’s minority leader this week, has chipped in about $7,800.
Republicans opposed to redistricting have struggled with how to push back against Newsom’s role without alienating needed Democratic voters or mentioning Trump, who is deeply unpopular in California.
Former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has become a vocal opponent of redistricting, which he called “insane” during a USC democracy forum this week. But he has not leveraged his full star power, opting out of ad appearances and declining to take a public role in the Protect Voters First coalition.
That leaves Munger almost the sole financial backer of a competing No on Prop. 50 campaign, to which he has given $30 million of his own money.
The only other donation as of Thursday was $1,000 from Stuart Beattie, a retired Palo Alto investor.
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Who’s donating millions for, against Prop. 50, California’s redistricting fight?."
