Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is the star of a new ad in support of a ballot measure to redraw California’s congressional maps to further boost Democrats.
Democrats are pursuing a mid-decade redistricting plan in California in response to Republicans’ efforts in Texas and other states to draw new lines that are designed to help them protect their narrow House majority in next year’s midterm elections.
“Donald Trump is redrawing election maps to force through a Congress that only answers to him, not the people. If he gets away with it, all bets are off, for our health care, our paychecks and our freedoms,” Ocasio-Cortez says in the ad.
“Prop 50 levels the playing field and gives power back to the people,” she continues, referring to the initiative that will appear on California’s ballot this fall.
Voters must directly approve the new map drawn by California Democratic legislators to circumvent the independent commission that typically controls the redistricting process in the state. The map could result in as many as five additional House seats for Democrats, which could offset potential Republican gains under Texas’ new lines.
The ad marks the latest instance of Ocasio-Cortez building her national profile. She has also held rallies across the country this year with fellow progressive icon Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.