California Governor Gavin Newsom hit out at the Trump administration after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down on the claim that California’s elections are rife with fraud.
In a Tuesday Truth Social post, President Donald Trump alleged that California’s special election was rigged. “The Unconstitutional Redistricting Vote in California is a GIANT SCAM in that the entire process, in particular the Voting itself, is RIGGED,” the president wrote.
“All ‘Mail-In’ Ballots, where the Republicans in that State are ‘Shut Out,’ is under very serious legal and criminal review. STAY TUNED!”
Asked by a reporter about the claim, Leavitt said, “There’s fraud in California’s elections. It’s just a fact.” When pressed for evidence, she responded, “It is just a fact… If you want to deny that, I’m happy to provide you all of the evidence.”
Newsom himself then responded to the claim on X, writing, “They cheat and lie because they know they are going to lose.”
California is currently voting in a special election centered on Proposition 50, which would redraw the state’s electoral boundaries to turn more seats blue in an effort to offset the GOP’s gerrymandering in states like Texas and Missouri.
The Department of Justice had previously announced that it would be sending election monitors to five counties in California. At the time, Newsom spokesperson Brandon Richards told the Daily Beast, “This administration has made no secret of its goal to undermine free and fair elections. Deploying these federal forces appears to be an intimidation tactic meant for one thing: suppress the vote.”
Local reporting from outlets like The Fresno Bee indicates that the DOJ followed through on its threat, with monitors observed at several polling locations in Fresno County alone.
The City of Fresno and the California Attorney General’s office also sent election monitors, resulting in the presence of city, state and federal observers at polling sites.
Speaking to Aaron Parnas on Tuesday, Newsom said that everyone needs to keep their “eyes wide open,” as the Trump administration’s response is about more than just California.
Donald Trump is already claiming the outcome of today’s election is rigged.
He knows he’s losing.
We need to stand up to Trump and his authoritarianism. pic.twitter.com/IpFpEo5Fkv
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) November 5, 2025
“This is not just about the maps here in California, he’s mapping out a way of guaranteeing his victory in the midterms in 2026 and beyond,” Newsom told Parnas.
He continued, “Alleging that Prop 50 is already rigged… and suggesting criminal activity is occurring is chilling, but we’re not screwing around.”
“We’ve set aside millions of dollars for our legal defense, we’re there today making sure we’re monitoring the monitors, so there’s nothing happening that’s not going to be recorded. That has to be our posture as Democrats, with that kind of vigilance going through 2026.”
