Barack Obama is back in the political trenches—this time, to stop Donald Trump from adding Republican-leaning seats to bolster GOP favor in the House.
The former president quietly intervened this summer to help Democrats counter Trump’s mid-decade push to redraw congressional maps in Texas, a move expected to deliver Republicans five new House seats.
According to The Washington Post, Obama ultimately endorsed a plan to offset the GOP effort by creating five new Democratic-leaning districts in California—a proposal that had been circulating in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s orbit for weeks.
Obama’s decision followed a series of private phone calls with his former attorney general, Eric Holder, who now heads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Both men had long campaigned for nonpartisan maps, but this time they concluded that sitting idle wasn’t an option.
“We’re doing things that kind of go against what we talked about,” Holder told The Post. “But we decided, we have to preserve our democracy if ultimately we’re going to heal it.”
That conversation kicked off a rapid, coordinated effort behind the scenes. Within days, Holder drafted a public statement endorsing Newsom’s plan and ran it by Obama, who quickly signed off. Together, they began lining up support for Proposition 50—the California ballot measure that would temporarily authorize new district lines to neutralize Trump’s Texas gambit.
If the measure passes in the Nov. 4 special election, it would hand Democrats five seats to offset the GOP gains and blunt Trump’s early-term bid to cement Republican control of the House.
Obama’s sudden reemergence reflects growing unease about the trajectory of Trump’s second term. “I think it’s really clear that President Obama left office fully intending to play the role that traditionally had been played by former presidents,” Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), a longtime ally, told The Post. “But we are not living in ordinary times. And extraordinary times require extraordinary action.”
By midsummer, Obama was deeply involved in the redistricting fight. He spoke repeatedly with Newsom and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Democrats debated whether Newsom’s proposal crossed a line. The plan would temporarily suspend California’s independent redistricting system—established by voters in 2008 and 2010—in favor of a partisan fix. Newsom’s aides argued the change was legal because it would go before voters for approval.
Ultimately, Obama and Holder agreed. They viewed the maneuver as temporary, justified, and—most importantly—necessary. Their endorsement unified Democratic lawmakers and sped the measure through the California legislature.
Behind the scenes, Obama worked closely with Newsom and Pelosi to secure support. According to people familiar with those conversations, Pelosi told allies that Obama’s backing gave the initiative instant credibility. In early August, Obama and Newsom held a more than hour-long call to coordinate messaging and timing ahead of the campaign launch.
By late August, the former president was all in. When Texas Democrats fled their state to delay a vote on the GOP map, Obama phoned into their secret Illinois meeting to commend their stand. “I want all of you to be returning feeling invigorated and know that you have helped to lead what is going to be a long struggle,” he said.
Days later, at a Martha’s Vineyard fundraiser for Holder’s group, Obama publicly threw his weight behind Prop 50. “Given that Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House,” he said, “I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this.”
Now, his face is on California television screens. In a sleek campaign ad, Obama warns voters of the stakes: “California, the whole nation is counting on you. Democracy is on the ballot November 4th.” Over images of Trump and immigration raids, he adds, “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.”
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