To honestly assess our assets to figure out a way forward, we must next look at our candidates’ addiction to political consultants. Political consultants are necessary for a campaign, but we must figure out their proper role in a campaign. In one post mortem on the last campaign, I read the following quote:

Brulte argues that there is no voter fraud and that he and others had been educating the national party and California GOP candidates on the new election rules that took place this year. Yes, we can dislike the college football overtime rules but they are what they are and have to be prepared. Unfortunately, while Democrats were developing a ground game for two years after their 2016 heartbreak, Republicans–driven by consultants who work on commission–were more focused on raising SuperPAC money for ad wars rather than the ballots themselves.…California Democrats have voter numbers in their favor, the voting system changes have favored them, and they had far more money to drive ground turnout. As the former political Republicans opine, the party needs to staunch the bleed of party registration and invest more in voter targeting… Read More

Before we can assess a way back from where Republicans are in this state, we have to assess our assets, and how best to utilize them. The best asset available to Republicans in this state are elected Republicans. The question is: Do these elected Republicans care about bringing our party back?

They should. If the last 10 years have been any lesson to Republicans in this state, it is that most elected Republicans have cared about themselves, and not about us. The cause of freedom is the cause of the people, and conservative Republican values promote freedom, that is, smaller government, less taxes, stronger families, private property rights, and individual freedom. When the Republican leadership (folks like Arnold Schwarzenegger) “negotiate” with the Democrats in this state to raise our taxes or increase regulations on our businesses or our families or on our communities, they negotiate our freedom away.

I have heard good excuses as to why taxes and regulations must be increased. My favorite is “climate change.” It is the best one for the Democrats. No proof that climate change is occurring, or that it is man-made, or that any tax… Read More

Just in time for Christmas, the Los Angeles teachers union gave Thomas Few some good news: a refund of $433.31 dues he paid and the union’s promise to stop taking $80 per month from his paycheck.

Few said he is “elated by the victory,” but also determined to press forward with his lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District and United Teachers of Los Angeles.

“On June 27, the Supreme Court said government employees – including my fellow teachers in Los Angeles Unified – have the right to fund or to not fund… Read More

The post mortem assessments of this last election, an ugly one to be sure, are just now being completed, and, like every other election in which we Republicans in California have lost, each faction of the California Republican Party is quick to blame the other factions for the loss. It’s not my fault, they say, it is a conservative message, or cheating by Democrats, or party leaders, or Donald Trump, or Jim Brulte or [insert anybody else’s name but mine here] who are responsible for our losses. The fact is we are a dysfunctional family. We are all to blame for the loss.

Some of my Republican friends who call themselves moderate are quick to blame the conservative message. They are wrong. Conservatives are the heart and the soul of the Republican Party. Abandon the message that brought conservatives to the party, and the party will fall apart. Those in Wrong Way, err..excuse me, New Way California are simply espousing the message that kept the Republican Party in the minority from 1954 to 1980. The resurgence of the conservative message from Reagan, through 1994, through Donald Trump, brought us from a permanent minority to a competitive political… Read More

The campaign to lead the California Republican Party is under way. While the election itself will take place at our party convention in February, the campaign for Chairman is an important process during which the views of the grassroots delegates of our party are heard as candidates travel the state working to build support.

In the wake of serious losses in the 2018 election, there will be much to discuss. One of the challenges facing delegates will be separating out what a California Republican Party Chairman can and should do from issues that are of concern but beyond the ability of the CRP Chairman to effect.

Having served as Chairman of the California Republican Party for the maximum of two terms, and before that as Vice Chairman, President of the County Chairmen’s Association, and a county Republican chairman I’ve experienced first hand the difference between subjects for grandstanding, and what the party itself can actually effect.

We all want to reposition the Republican Party for success. Yet, political parties are defined nationally. The Republican Party and its brand will be defined by President Donald J. Trump for every single… Read More

It is no secret that U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris has her eye on a run for the Presidency in 2020. Yet Larry Wallace, a senior staffer for Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) reportedly resigned on Wednesday over the discovery he was involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit and $400,000 payout to the victim whileworkingfor then California Attorney General Kamala Harris. And Kamala Harris claims to know nothing of this.… Read More

The November 6 election results in California were a disaster no matter what way you look at it. For Republicans it reaffirmed that we are on the wrong track, that our messaging is severely amiss. For Californians generally, their choice has been whittled down to a single party, a party that does not resemble anything the Founding Fathers would recognize.

Democrats now hold every Statewide Constructional office, and a Super-Super Majority (not a typo) in the Assembly and State Senate, and we, the Republican Party need to undertake a critical analysis of how we operate; critical triage of just what it is that needs to be addressed. Without understanding where we are and how we came to be in this situation, 2020 will be a further decline of our once great CRP, if that is even conceivable.

We need new leadership and a new direction. But first we must agree that we should go back to basics. And my platform provides this. Amongst other issues, my ‘Back to Basics’ plan addresses:

1. Voter Registration. Since March, 2013, the California Republican Party has not spent a dime for voter registration and in fact has a policy against registering voters.… Read More

On election night, California Republicans were heading for victories. Less than one month later, while ballots arestillbeing counted, half of California’s Republican Congressional races were flipped by Democrat challengers, none of whom have ever held an elected public office.

Republicans lost election night leads for five members of Congress, three state Assembly races, two state Senate seats and a Board of Equalization candidate, Shawn Steelwrotein a column this week.

Assembly Republicans nowtotal only 20 out of 80 members of the Assembly, and Senate Republicans aredownto 11 members out of 40 Senators, for a grand total of 31 elected Republicans out of 140 total… Read More