The political figure who refused to compromise regarding the expansion of slavery during the debate over California statehood was Senator David C. Broderick. Broderick was a prominent Democratic politician from California, and he staunchly opposed the extension of slavery into new territories. He was part of the "Free Soil" faction within the Democratic Party, which advocated for the exclusion of slavery from the western territories. In the lead-up to California's statehood, Broderick resisted any compromises that would allow the expansion of slavery, leading to tensions within his own party.
