10 Biggest Spenders In $150 Million Race for California Prop 50
Shawn GriffithsGoing into 2025, there were few people who expected a statewide ballot measure election in California to become the sixth most expensive in state history in a year with no other statewide race on the ballot – but here we are with Prop 50, which asks voters to approve a legislative gerrymander.
And it is possible supporters and opponents will push Prop 50 to be the fifth most expensive ballot measure election in state history as total contributions for and against is close to exceeding $150 million.
Supporters of Prop 50, like Gov. Gavin Newsom (who proposed the measure), say suspending the state’s independent congressional map is necessary to “fight fire with fire” and counter Republican mid-decade gerrymanders in states like Texas.
Opponents, like former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, call it a scam and say that while state Democrats argue they are defending democracy, they are tearing up the California Constitution and throwing out the state’s democratic principles.
Of the nearly $150 million that has been injected into the race, 70% has gone to support Prop 50 ($104 million). Meanwhile, the bulk of funding for No on 50 has come from the campaign’s principal officer, Dr. Charles Munger, Jr.
Thus, this race has essentially pitted Munger against the Democratic Party and all of its biggest allies in and outside of California. But to better understand who is spending the biggest bucks to influence California’s vote, here are the 10 biggest contributors to the Prop 50 election.
Quick Note: There are two types of contributions. Cash, meaning actual dollars contributed to a campaign, and in-kind contributions which are goods and services contributed that have monetary value.
The 10 Biggest Spenders For And Against Prop 50
1. Dr. Charles T. Munger, Jr. (Opponent)
Munger, a California-based physicist and long-time election reform supporter, is the largest individual donor to the “No on Prop 50” side. He contributed around $30 million (plus non-monetary, in-kind contributions) to defeat the measure.
In other words, $30 million of $43.7 million that has gone toward opposing Prop 50. He has said, “I oppose gerrymandering in any state, regardless of the party responsible for initiating it.”
Munger led the effort to pass independent congressional redistricting in 2010 to extend the authority of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, approved by voters in 2008, to draw all electoral districts after each census.
For the record, the total amount contributed to the 2010 race, for and against, was just over $20 million – which has been vastly dwarfed by the effort to temporarily (at least for now) return redistricting authority to state lawmakers.
2. House Majority PAC (Supporter)
This major Democratic-aligned political action committee donated approximately $15 million in cash contributions to support Prop 50. The purpose of the House Majority PAC is to support Democratic U.S. House candidates and work toward a Democratic majority.
If approved, Prop 50 will create a new congressional map in California in which 92% of districts will lean toward the Democratic Party.
3. George Soros via Fund for Policy Reform (Supporter)
If voters looked deeper into the funding of Prop 50, they would see $10 million from Fund for Policy Reform. This is one of George Soros’ organizations through which he made the contribution himself.
This represents the largest cash donation from a single individual to the Yes on 50 campaign.
4. Congressional Leadership Fund (Opponent)
This national Republican-aligned PAC directed approximately $5 million in cash contributions toward the “No on Prop 50” side. The PAC’s purpose is similar to the House Majority PAC – just for Republicans.
Republicans could end up losing 5 of the 9 congressional seats they currently hold under Prop 50. California has 52 total seats in Congress.
5. California Teachers Association (Supporter)
This major teachers’ union in California contributed approximately $3.7 million in total contributions (both cash and in-kind) to support Prop 50.
In its support announcement, CTA President David Goldberg said “more drastic cuts to public education, health care, and other critical services” will happen if Trump’s “power grab goes unchecked.”
In response, one 16-year-old California student received a lot of attention on X for asking the CTA why such a massive amount of money wasn’t going toward teachers and classrooms.
6. California Nurses Association (Supporter)
The nurses’ union donated about $3.3 million in total contributions (cash and in-kind) supporting Prop 50. Like the teachers’ union, this highlights the labor coalition aligned with the “Yes” side.
In its statement, the union said:
Nurses cannot sit by while politicians and their billionaire donors seek to permanently dismantle our health care systems. Voting YES on Prop 50 puts the power in the hands of the people of California to approve emergency Congressional district maps, which will add seats for Democrats in California, ensuring that our Golden State can help protect the voice of voters across the country and voters silenced by the Trump Administration’s power grab.”
7. The California Democratic Party (Supporter)
The Democratic Party of California has not recorded direct cash contributions to support Prop 50. However, it contributed more than $3 million worth of in-kind contributions, which again are goods and services with monetary value.
This includes things the party still spends money on, like professional expertise (i.e. paid consultants), fundraising tools, volunteer and voter mobilization tools, office supplies, and venues for support functions.
8. National Education Association (Supporter)
The NEA is the largest labor union in the United States, including more than 3 million members that span from teachers to students to community leaders who perform a wide range of roles within education.
While the union has not put out an official statement on Prop 50, according to Ballotpedia, it contributed $3 million in cash to support the measure.
9. Newsom for California Governor 2022 (Supporter)
It is no surprise that a committee created to support Gov. Gavin Newsom supports Prop 50. Newsom proposed Prop 50 in response to Trump encouraging Texas Republicans to redraw their state's congressional map. What may surprise voters, though, is that the campaign committee to re-elect Newsom in 2022 is still around and contributed $2.6 million to support the measure.
Newsom for California Governor 2022 has been terminated as a campaign committee. However, it is still registered with the FEC as a Carey committee (or PAC/super PAC hybrid), allowing it to conduct campaign-contribution operations and independent-expenditure activities.
According to OpenSecrets, the committee raised and spent roughly $23.24 million in the 2024 election cycle.
10. Michael Moritz (Supporter)
Michael Moritz is a Welsh billionaire and venture capitalist. He is the chairperson of Sequoia Capital. He contributed $2.5 million in support of Prop 50.
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