The Newsom donors missing from Prop 50

Politico ^ | 11/02/2025 10:00 AM EST | Christine Mui

[E. Pluribus Unum]

At least 54 of the California governor’s past top donors haven’t chipped in for the Prop 50 campaign, including some of the state’s wealthiest residents and industry titans.

But big-dollar donors carry weight in presidential campaigns, too, and some view these withdrawals as a warning sign for Newsom — reflecting lingering frustration with the party’s sweeping losses in 2024, fear of retribution from Trump or hesitation, even among some of California’s heaviest hitters, to align themselves this early with Newsom.

“I have been really shocked at the big names that have not been on, which make me feel like this thing is more of a mandate on ‘do you want to see Gavin Newsom have a successful campaign for president or not?’” said one California-based Democratic strategist, granted anonymity to discuss conversations with donors.

Yet another factor has been general discomfort with the idea of gerrymandering — the political project Newsom is championing to counter Republican-led redistricting campaigns elsewhere. Still, others expressed a desire to save their resources, given that the Prop 50 campaign is already flush with cash — including for the likely 2028 contender himself.

Real estate investor Clint Reilly said that while he’s fully on board with Prop 50, “the campaign has very ample funding,” so he’s “holding dry powder for [the] Gavin Newsom for President Campaign.”

A former political consultant, Reilly had dropped $100,000 to defend Newsom against the 2021 recall and another $32,400 to his subsequent reelection.

POLITICO contacted more than 50 of the no-show donors directly or through representatives. Most would not comment on the record or did not respond.

One of the more prominent absent donors, Chan, during the recall had staked $750,000 to keep Newsom in office. And the charity she runs with her husband, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, put millions of dollars last year behind a ballot...

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TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bookshelffreepload; bookshelfspammer; california; deadbeatbookshelf; epluribusrino; iabtfd; newsom; poop50; prop50; sirspamalot; spamaholic; spammingfr

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

What do you want to bet that the some of the USAID slush fund went to these “big donors.” As with all democRATs and demoKKKrats, they just loooove “donating” other people’s money.

[Bob Wills is still the king]

They haven’t made contributions because they don’t need to. Newsome has been telling everyone he has enough money, and telling small donors to quit sending it in.

[Brian Griffin]

End the filibuster.

Pay the troops and air traffic controllers.

Trim back welfare programs.

Cede most of the Democratic areas of California and the southern tip of Texas back to Mexico.