John,

Donald Trump has never respected democracy. From the moment he entered politics, he has treated elections as obstacles to be bulldozed. Now he is taking it further than ever before, working to steal Congress before a single vote is cast.

In Texas, at Trump’s urging, Republicans have redrawn their congressional maps mid-decade, manufacturing five brand-new Republican seats that did not exist before.

This is a deliberate attempt to silence millions of Americans so Trump can lock down power and make sure his failed agenda cannot be checked by voters or by Congress. That is why California leaders are putting forward the Election Rigging Response Act, a constitutional amendment that gives voters the power to fight back directly.

If Trump and Republicans rig the maps in Texas, California voters will respond by adopting new congressional districts that erase those stolen seats and keep representation fair. This measure is designed to cancel out Trump’s scheme, protect voters from being silenced, and show that when Republicans cheat, the people will answer.

Trump and Republicans are watching carefully. If their scheme succeeds in Texas, they will not stop there.

They will take the same strategy in every other state they control. And if they are allowed to redraw the rules in state after state, the damage to our democracy could last for generations.

That is why what happens in California could decide far more than the shape of a map. It will determine whether the voice of the people still drives our government or whether Trump succeeds in building a system where elections are meaningless and power is held by him and his allies alone.

We have seen Trump’s playbook again and again. When he cannot win fairly, he cheats. When his policies fail, he changes the rules. And every time, it is working families who pay the price with higher costs, lost freedoms, and fewer rights.

This time, we have the chance to fight back before his scheme takes hold. The Election Rigging Response Act is already gaining momentum, but Trump’s war chest is filled with unlimited dark money, and if we do not build an equally powerful grassroots movement, his plan could succeed.

The only way we can stop Trump is through people-powered organizing. Donate the resources to take on Republican disinformation and lies to build a positive and powerful statewide campaign to win now.

Let’s stop Trump’s power grab and make sure our democracy belongs to the people, not to him.

- DFA AF Team