Join the USC Center for the Political Future on Wednesday, February 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the University Club Scriptorium for a conversation about Prop 50, redistricting, and the future of representation in the United States. This conversation is part of Spring 2026 Fellow Seema Mehta’s study group “Politics, Polls and Punditry: The Inner Workings of Modern-Day Campaigns.” 

IN PERSON REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982302630530?aff=oddtdtcreator

Panelists Include:

• Seema Mehta (Moderator) – Spring 2026 CPF Fellow; Veteran National & State Reporter, Los Angeles Times
• Christian Grose – Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC; Director, Democracy and Fair Elections Lab at USC Dornsife
• Paul Mitchell – Democratic Redistricting Strategist
• Matt Rexroad – GOP Redistricting Strategist
• Amy Thoma Tan – President, Cobalt Public Affairs

From the nation’s founding to the present day, redistricting has played a quiet but decisive role in shaping American democracy. In 2025, that process moved to the center of national politics Texas’s redistricting bill and California’s Proposition 50 became a flashpoint in an escalating, nationwide fight over congressional maps and democratic norms. What does this fight say about political power, changing political norms, and the upcoming 2026 midterms?

Every semester, CPF hosts a cohort of ideologically diverse prominent political professionals to become fellows. They hold office hours, host lunchtime discussions, bring in guest speakers, and participate in high-profile events and conferences throughout the year. These resident Fellows expose students to a wide array of perspectives, broadening and challenging their understanding of government while strengthening civil dialogue on campus and within the community.

IN PERSON REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982302630530?aff=oddtdtcreator