A giant funding gap in Prop. 50 duel

Democratic backers raised more than four times the amount that GOP rivals garnered.

- BY SEEMA MEHTA

ALFREDO BUSTOS, second from left, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin and Isabel Salas fundraise for Prop. 50 in L.A.

Supporters of Proposition 50, California Democrats' ballot measure to redraw the state's congressional districts to help the party's effort to take power in the U.S. House of Representatives, raised more than four times the amount that rivals raised in recent weeks, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state by the three main committees campaigning about the measure.

Gov. Gavin Newsom's committee supporting the redistricting measure raised $36.8 million between Sept. 21 and Oct. 18, bringing its total to $114.3 million, according to the report filed with the secretary of state's office on Thursday, which was not available until Monday. It had $37.1 million in the bank and available to spend before the Nov. 4 special election.

"We have hit our budget goals and raised what we need in order to pass Proposition 50," Newsom emailed supporters Monday. "You can stop donating."

The two main opposition groups raised a total of $8.4 million during the 28 days covered by the fundraising period, bringing their total haul to $43.7 million. They had $2.3 million in cash on hand going into the final stretch of the campaign.

"As Gavin Newsom likes to say, we are not running the 90-yard dash here. We've seen a groundswell of support from Californians who understand what's at stake if we let [President] Trump steal two more years of unchecked power," said Hannah Milgrom, a spokesperson for the main pro-Proposition 50 campaign.

"But we are not taking anything for granted nor taking our foot off the gas. If we want to hold this dangerous and reckless president accountable, we must pass Prop. 50," Milgrom said.