It looks like former Democratic President Barack Obama is now moonlighting as California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s campaign consultant in chief, hocking Proposition 50 as a miracle cure for democracy.

Proposition 50 is a 2025 California constitutional amendment measure that would temporarily replace the state’s current, independently drawn congressional district maps with partisan-drawn maps from the legislature.

According to Breitbart News, there’s a new ad blitz with Obama warning that Republicans are plotting to steal seats and “rig” elections unless Californians vote yes to steal seats and rig elections.

Listen to @barackobama. pic.twitter.com/oPjyWVCqpG

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 14, 2025

In the video, Obama says, “California, the whole nation is counting on you. Democracy is on the ballot November 4 in a special election. Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election and wield unchecked power for two more years. With Prop 50, you can stop Republicans in their tracks…”

Let’s pause and savor the irony: Obama is lecturing about election integrity while actively helping flip districts in Gavin’s favor. That’s a little like a referee giving one team steroids and reminding everyone to “play fair.”

This isn’t just about maps. It’s about power. Replacing the commission would slash Republican representation, even though about 40% of voters backed GOP candidates in 2024.

In the end, Obama is not saving democracy – he’s saving face. Desperate to preserve both his fading legacy and the Democratic Party’s slipping grip, he’s joined Gavin’s gerrymander hustle with a straight face and a sanctimonious grin. It’s not about fairness; it’s about fixing the scoreboard and blaming the refs. And for the low, low price of $250 million in taxpayer funds for the special election, Californians get to bankroll a “democracy rescue” that two-thirds of them don’t even want.