State Sen. Tony Strickland calls Prop 50 a "predetermined" threat to competitive elections

State Sen. Tony Strickland said he campaigned hard against Proposition 50 and called the measure "horrible for California" and "horrible for The United States Of America." Strickland argued the maps drawn under Prop 50 will produce what he described as predetermined outcomes and split communities across disparate areas.

"You already know who the winner is before the election even starts," Strickland said, adding that some districts in the new maps reach from Coronado to Palm Springs and include a mix of rural and urban areas that, he said, "have nothing in common." He said such boundaries reduce competitive incentives and weaken voters' ability to hold representatives accountable.

Tom Johnson and Alex Runagi, mayor of Laguna Beach, pressed on the local implications. Johnson said it was upsetting that residents could end up represented by officials from a different county with different priorities; Runagi emphasized the need for officials to remain responsive to local concerns. Strickland described constituent outreach methods his office uses to compensate for district size, including town halls and advisory committees.

The discussion did not cite litigation or a court ruling on the maps; it focused on the practical and political consequences Strickland predicts for local representation and competition. Strickland said he worries Prop 50’s approach will be copied by other states and called for renewed attention to competitive elections.

The episode did not record a formal action or vote on the matter; participants described political and constituent outreach options going forward.