By admin 
A former Democrat who co-founded Airbnb contributed $8 million Tuesday toward a measure that would require voters to show government-issued identification before casting their ballot.
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Joseph Gebbia’s contribution helps give Prop. 39 a financial edge in the final stretch of the campaign as a growing number of Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, join the effort to fight it. But the money also highlights the fact that financial support for the measure — which backers pitch as a bipartisan, commonsense policy — has largely come from wealthy, right-leaning donors who are broadly aligned with President Donald Trump. Many, including Gebbia, are billionaires.
Gebbia gave $200,000 apiece to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 run and Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. But like many figures in Silicon Valley, his politics appeared to drift to the right during Biden’s presidency.
“The Democratic Party I grew up with is unrecognizable,” Gebbia posted on X in August, responding to a poll showing Democratic voters have a more sympathetic view of socialism than capitalism.
The designer and minority owner in San Antonio Spurs has played a leading role in Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency. He led its efforts to redesign websites like America.gov as the country’s first chief design officer. His posts on X are full of praise for Elon Musk, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and others in Trump’s orbit.
Other prominent Prop. 39 backers include GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein, twin investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Attorney Nicole Shanahan, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s 2024 vice presidential candidate.
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The main committee backing Prop. 39, Californians for Voter ID, had $12.9 million cash on hand as of Sept. 19, before Gebbia’s donation, compared to a combined $8.4 million from the four committees actively running campaigns against the measure.
Prop. 39’s critics said Gebbia’s contribution buttressed their argument that the measure was a Trump-inspired attempt to suppress Californian voters.
“Prop. 39 is a MAGA power grab, and Trump’s allies are pouring money into California because they want to rig elections in their favor,” said Maddy Buss, a spokesperson for “No on 39: Block Election Rigging.”
That group announced Wednesday that Newsom would serve as honorary co-chair of the group, alongside Xavier Becerra, who is running to replace him; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister; and Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, among others.
A spokesperson for Californians for Voter ID did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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