Prop. 50’s lead solidifies with California voters a week from Election Day
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ANOTHER POLL IN PROP. 50’S FAVOR
Via Lia Russell…
Another poll published Tuesday evening predicts that a majority of California voters will approve Proposition 50, the initiative by Gov. Gavin Newsom to redraw state congressional districts.
The survey from the Public Policy Institute of California shows the proposition with support from 56% of overall likely voters, including 55% of independents.
Some 89% of Republicans are against the measure, according to data from the poll, which PPIC experts conducted Oct. 7 to Oct. 14. Support for Prop. 50 was concentrated in the state’s power centers like the Bay Area (69%), Los Angeles (61%), and Orange County/San Diego (56%), while a majority of the Inland Empire and Central Valley were both opposed at 54%.
More women (57%) than men (54%) supported Prop. 50, which has become a proxy for Democrats to retake the House in the 2026 midterms.
Respondents were asked to name the issues they thought were the most pressing nationally and statewide. Overall, 40% said threats to democracy were the most important facing the country, followed by economic conditions (19%) and immigration (12%).
When it comes to issues just facing California, 32% of respondents said cost of living, the economy and/or inflation were the most pressing issues, followed by 14% who cited housing cost and availability, 11% who named threats to democracy or political extremism, and 11% who said government in general was the biggest issue.
The race to shore up California’s Democratic-majority congressional delegation by unseating five Republican representatives has drawn national attention and become one of the most expensive contests in history.
On Monday, Newsom asked “Yes on 50” donors to stop donating, a rarity in the world of electoral politics, and redirect their dollars to a similar campaign in Indiana. He boasted to reporters on Tuesday that his campaign had raised $38 million in 10 weeks.
“We have the budget, period, full stop, to complete what we set out to do, which was to be successful and win Proposition 50,” he said.
BONTA APPROVES OPENAI PLAN
Attorney General Rob Bonta said he will not sue OpenAI for moving forward with its reorganization.
The longtime nonprofit raised eyebrows and alarm bells last year when it announced plans to become a for-profit company. It scrapped those plans earlier this year after facing backlash, instead opting to conduct a more limited reorganization that will still allow it to function more like a traditional for-profit enterprise.
That change, which included a deal with Microsoft, was announced Tuesday. Bonta and Delaware’s Attorney General Kathy Jennings both said they wouldn’t object to the recapitalization, after thorough investigations.
“We entered into an MOU late last night with them that had major concessions on their part, in our view, that help them adhere to their mission going forward, ensure safety, including the safety of children going forward,” Bonta told reporters Tuesday.
Children’s safety advocates and parents who attribute their children’s death to use of chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT had requested a meeting with Bonta to discuss their concerns about the technology.
The deal also included a commitment from OpenAI that it would remain in California.
“We believe that great nonprofits and great businesses can be based in California, grow in California, thrive in California, and be safe and create safety for those that they serve,” Bonta said, adding his office would continue to monitor the company vigilantly.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“California is my home, and I love it here, and when I talked to Attorney General Bonta two weeks ago I made clear that we were not going to do what those other companies do and threaten to leave if sued. We really wanted to figure this out and are really happy about where it all landed — and very much appreciate the work of the Attorney General!”
– Sam Altman, OpenAI chief executiove, regarding Bonta’s approval of the recapitalization plan, in a post on X
BEST OF THE BEE
- Some Sacramento-area food banks aren’t prepared for withholding of SNAP funds via Kate Wolffe
- California sues White House to restore SNAP benefits as cutoff looms via Lia Russell
- How can California’s military veterans weather the federal shutdown? via David Lightman
This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 4:55 AM with the headline "Prop. 50’s lead solidifies with California voters a week from Election Day."
