CORRECTION: Below I note there were nine CRP races, none contested. In fact the Northwest region WAS contested, and the vote was 19-12. Sorry for the mistake.
The 2018 elections are sixteen months from now. In politics that is a very short time. Yet, there are no significant Republican candidates for Governor, U.S. Senator, other state wide races—and many legislative races. In 2016 there were 28 legislative seats and the Senate race, with only one Party on the ballot. And, 16 legislative races with only one candidate on the ballot.
The programs and policies of the Republican Party of the past four years have not worked. Even after raising $19 million for the 2015-16 cycle, the GOP lost three Assembly seats and a Republican State Senate seat—giving the Democrats. Yes, this is a long term situation. Maybe it is time for new plans and plays—just raising money has not been the answer.
Frank Editorial: California Republican Party: The Incredibly Shrinking Party
Stephen Frank, California Political News and Views, 2/28/17
Politico: “THE BUZZ: Small though it is, the California Republican Party reminded us over the weekend that it does still exist.”
A couple of weeks ago, the major donor, political strategist, voter registration king, Charles Munger, Jr. spoke to the Santa Clara Republican Central Committee. His message was to the point and simple. He said we need to celebrate the success of the chairmanship of Jim Brulte. The audience applauded.
No one person is responsible for the state of the California Republican Party (CRP). It is a team effort. The lead sentence of this editorial is the lead in the February 27 edition of Politico, the online newsletter. It clearly states the bottom line facts of the status of the CRP.
From the close of registration in October, 2012 to the close of voter registration October, 2016, Republicans lost a net of 303,000. Yet the CRP spent zero dollars on voter registration. Instead, it gave an exclusive franchise to an outside organization, with the key leader being Mr. Munger. Now that we have had a four year loss, it looks like the CRP is not going to change the direction of voter registration.
In rounded off numbers, as of October, 2016 the GOP had 26% registration, Decline to State 24% and Democrats 43%. By October, 2018 it is probable that the GOP will be the THIRD Party in California.
We all know that in the past four years, our “success” also includes giving the Democrats a super majority in the State Assembly and Senate. A GOP legislator calls himself a member of the “Super Minority”. This means no Republican are needed for any tax increase. In the past few years, several Republicans would jump the fence and vote to give the Democrats the 2/3 needed to pass tax increases. Hurting the brand, maybe this is one of the reasons for people leaving the Party.
At the California Republican Party convention this past weekend there were nine offices up for election—four regional Vice Presidents, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Chairman of the County Chairmans Association. What do you think the odds are of candidates for ALL nine positions running unopposed? Remember, this is a political organization, we have massively lost voter registrations, gave the Democrats a super majority in the legislature, on the November, 2016 ballot there were 28 legislative seats, plus the U.S. Senate race with only one Party on the ballot—and 16 legislative seats with only one candidate on the ballot.
Surely, there has to be unrest. Surely, people will want some changes. You would think those responsible for the situation might not run for re-election.
Of the nine positions up for election, everyone office had only ONE candidate. In other words, if you liked the last four years, you want to have the same situation for at least the next two years. The odds of nine offices in a political organization going unchallenged is astronomical. Or is it a sign that folks have moved on.
There are currently 1415 members of the CRP. The only victory in 2016 was the election of Donald Trump as President.. His early days as President has shown he is working hard to keep his campaign promises. You would think the CRP members would put in numerous resolutions in support of President Trump and his policies. Yet, when the official submission deadline passed, only one resolution had been submitted—to censure a GOP Assemblywoman who announced she was voting for Condie Rice for President. That resolution failed.
Then before the normal deadline, which had been changed but few knew it, four resolutions were put forward by members of the Tea Party California Caucus—not even a chartered Republican group. They dealt with taxes, immigration, ObamaCare and vetting terrorists. These passed unanimously. But, why didn’t others submit resolutions?
The Sacramento Bee ran this story about the resolutions. Here. http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article135109124.html
Then you had a great reception hosted by Chairman Jim Brulte for the Trump Team. Wonderful event—an effort to get Trumpsters involved in the California Republican Party. Yet, at the reception and nowhere during the convention was it noted that four GOP legislators lost—and the commonality was they did not support Trump for President. Assemblymembers, Linder, Hadley and Kim lost, all opposed Trump. Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chaing running for State Senate—in a Republican District—lost.
Now we find that the Chair of the Ventura County GOP Central Committee, and Chairman of the County Chairmans Association informed his Venutra Committee that San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer was going to be the candidate for Governor in 2018. This is the Mayor that planned a deficit of approximately $122 million, supported an effort to transfer $1.8 billion in taxpayers funds to the use of a billionaire football owner. Then while Chairman Brulte is working hard to bring the Trump people into the Party, the Mayor refused to support Donald Trump for president. Think the Trump folks will forget?
Then you have CRP Vice Chair Olsen, appointed in November and elected without a challenger, said on October 12, 2016 she was not voting for Trump—but did say she would not vote for Hillary. Here is the Modesto Bee article.
These leaders refusal to support Trump in the General Election was not even discussed. Oh, all are still members of the California Republican Party and appoint delegates.
My long time good friend Jon Fleischman wrote a wonderful piece about the convention before the event started. See it here.
At the end of the article he wrote, “Yet Republican leaders in California continue to distance themselves from President Trump (even yesterday, most Republican legislators chose to abstain from yet another resolution blasting the president’s crackdown on illegal aliens). Ironically, it is possible that the only road back to relevance for the California Republican Party will depend on the success of the new Republican Commander-In-Chief.”
Fleischman is right—it is a bit like football. Chairman Brulte is the quarterback and the rest of us are the players. Yet at the convention, except for a conference sponsored by the Tea Party Caucus of California “Make California Great Again”, there were no meetings or strategies discussed. With our poor record of voter registration, so many races without GOP candidates in 2016, no strategies, meetings of sponsored events to fix the problem.
Maybe the problem is not the quarterback—maybe it is the coach sending in the plays. Huh? Like Prop. 14, ending partisan primaries, a poor record on voter registrations, running Republicans against Republicans to assure NO Republican on November ballot for a particular race. Add to this the lack of promotion of Party principles and values, has anyone seen a CRP or Sacramento GOP legislative leader promoting the Presidents ObamaCare repeal and replacement, tax cuts, immigration or fighting terrorism press releases?
In football, it is the coach that gets cut. Maybe it is time to find a new coach—the quarterback is one of the great strategists in California—but the coach has failures piled upon failures—as Politico implied, the California Republican Party is an incredibly shrinking organization.
The Coach may be extremely rich, but look at what his money has bought. And that includes sending in plays for legislative Republicans.
In fact, the GOP Assembly leader misstated the Trump policy and sided with the Fake News of the Democrats. Here is a press release sent by Assemblyman Chad Mayes:
“Statement on Executive Order Barring Refugees from Assembly Republican Leader Mayes
Assemblyman Chad Mayes, 1/30/17
SACRAMENTO – Today, Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes (Yucca Valley) released the following statement in response to the recent executive order barring refugees from entering the country:
“Religious liberty is a core value of our nation. My ancestors immigrated to America to flee religious persecution. While bolstering our national security is important, when forced to decide between security and liberty, I will always side with liberty.”
As we all know no one was barred. This was a moratorium on entrance to the U.S. from seven nations. Mayes press release implies no refugee from any place else in the world was temporarily stopped. And, this is not about immigrants—it is about protecting our nation from terrorism.
So, where do we stand as Republicans in California?
*loss of 303,000 registered voters—no changes
*loss of Assembly/Senate seats. Democrats have Super Majority
* No major candidates for Governor, Senator or other Statewide races in 2018. The primary is 16 months from now.
* Four years of partisan losses
*Lack of promotion of GOP principles, values and outreach based on policy to the public.
*Some GOP leaders that did not support the election of President Trump are expected to now promote him.
*Some Republican leaders misrepresenting the position and policies of President Trump. This disheartens Trump supporters, especially those not strongly Republican.
It is definitely time for a new coach. It is definitely time for a significant audit of our policies and we may have just a few months to complete and then implement new policy. To continue the past fours years in the next two, guarantee the same results. Lets grow the Party based on policy, principle and hard work. It can be done. It must be done.
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