Newsom Pauses Prop 50 Fundraising; Yes Leads

One week before California’s Nov. 4 special election, Gov. Gavin Newsom — who backed Proposition 50 — asked small donors to halt contributions after the Yes on 50 committee reported roughly $119 million raised versus about $89 million for No on 50 groups. The Yes campaign has spent heavily framing the measure as a partisan “Trump vs. California” fight and leads in polls and early returns, with Democrats outpacing Republicans in returned mail ballots. Former President Donald Trump has amplified doubts about the vote by urging Republicans to avoid mail‑in and early voting, though he has not filed the lawsuits he once threatened, a stance that has frustrated some California Republicans. The contest is part of a broader national dispute over mid‑decade redistricting, with Republican efforts in several states drawing criticism from voting‑rights advocates and prompting legal and constitutional challenges over partisan mapmaking.