If California Gov. Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan is approved, a large rural district that once proposed seceding from the state will be merged with northern San Francisco, causing the residents to fear they are losing their voice in Congress.
Modoc County is closer to Oregon than San Francisco and more closely resembles Texas in terms of its politics and agricultural lifestyle, yet the nearly 8,500 residents may be swallowed up by Newsom's own district in Marin County. The small rural community voted 78% in favor of recalling Newsom and a reformed district would eliminate their small conservative voice represented by Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa.
"It's like a smack in the face," local rancher Amie Martinez told CalMatters this week. "How could you put Marin County with Modoc County? It's just a different perspective."
Newsom first introduced his redistricting plans in August as a response to Texas Republicans and their gerrymandering efforts. The Democratic National Committee has formally endorsed the governor's plans. If approved, the new congressional districts would likely remove five GOP seats, bringing Republicans' already slim number down to just three in the Golden State.
Locals say their concern isn't even a left-right issue, it's a rural-urban issue, and they fear being represented by a San Francisco liberal with no understanding of agricultural issues will eliminate their concerns on water, wildlife, and forest management.
Nadine Bailey, a former staffer for a Republican state senator told the outlet, "They've taken every rural district and made it an urban district. It just feels like an assault on rural California."
The rural county of Modoc flirted with secession back in 2013, but the movement went nowhere. Now, more than a decade later, residents still feel that may be the only solution even though it's likely a mere fantasy. "It'll be very hard to fight back," said Tim Babcock, owner of a general store in Lassen County. "Unless we split the state. And that's never going to happen."
Newsom's Proposition 50 is headed to a vote on Nov. 4 with the polling data fluctuating depending on the source. The governor's own polling firm has the redistricting plan being approved overwhelmingly, while another UC Berkeley/LA Times survey had the plan at below 50% approval, according to the Los Angeles Times.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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