Eber: Change need by the GOP

The bottom line is simple—the California Republican Party does not do the basics of a political Party—voter registration, fielding candidates for all officers, supporting only a few, leaving many with unanswered questions and phone calls.  Money raised does not go to the purposes announced—instead it goes to overhead and consultants.

There is good news.  Most activists no longer try to get help from the CRP or even call them for assistance or advice.  Instead, they do the candidate search, the organization and support of candidates that the CRP have left as orphans.  New, bigger, CRA and independent clubs are being created, some with several hundred members.  In Palm Springs, an independent club of over 1,000 members runs its own headquarters.  In the Upland area of L.A. County, they ran their own HQ in 2022—and still had more money in the bank than the Andy Gimmiecanday owned LAGOP.  San Diego and Fresno do their own voter registration effort.

It is time to leave the past and grow into the new politics of California—Conservatives that are productive and vital.  We want policy and victories over titles and power.

Change need by the GOP by Richard Eber

Richard Eber, Exclusive to the California Political News and Views  2/9/23 

On the second weekend of March, the Republican Party will be having their convention in Sacramento. In all likelihood State Chair Jessica Patterson, despite a record of non achievement, will easily win another term in office.

Armed with proxy votes gathered by incumbent County GOP heads, her opponents have little chance of achieving regime change. Despite efforts of San Diego to promote transparency and fair play to eliminate proxies, no change in election rules is anticipated this year.

It is ironic that Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy emphatically did away with proxy votes in post Covid-19 Congress. At the same time this non democratic process is alive a well preserving power for State California Republican Party (CRP) officers

As a result we can expect at the State GOP confab:

• Fund raising to remain muddled with little money actually reaching candidates. The overhead expenses for the State organization, that far exceed their Democratic advisories, are anticipated to be bloated once again.
• Continuing anti-Trump policies and support often given to RINO Republicans.  No clear platform emanating from the Ms Patterson’s office of what the GOP in California actually stands for.
• No farm system to help train conservatives to run in local elections to effectively compete against the Democratic juggernaut. 
• Inability to field candidates for the Legislature and Congress with name recognition and funding to defeat their liberal foes.
• No direction or energy being put forth to actually win elections.

Because of the ineffectiveness of the State GOP, there has been talk of a third party to pick-up the void of conservative leadership. Unfortunately, history has proven throughout the United States that such an approach has rarely worked.

For now conservatives in California will need to depend on a few scattered organizations to carry the bacon so to speak.  They will need to operate on a grass roots level to oppose what has amounted to complete Democratic domination of the political process in the Golden State.

As always raising money for GOP candidates is a problem.  Because the chances of winning elections is so small, it is difficult to attract donations from Business, education, real estate, medical, and other sources that contribute to powerful Political Action Committees (PACs).

No one wants to support losers.

Even with having Kevin McCarthy in place as the Speaker of the House, very little of the funds raised nationally ever finds its way to California.  Wisely, almost all of these precious resources are directed to races where Republicans have a decent chance of winning.  We continue to lose Assembly, State Senate seats—and have not won a Statewide race for Constitutional office in two decades (Arnold does not count, thought registered as a Republican he ran the State as a liberal Democrat)

So what can be done to turn around the fortunes of the Republican Party in California?

Recognizing the pitiful condition of this floundering organization, Kevin McCarthy should use his influence reorganizing leadership in the State Party.  In addition he must insure sufficient money is allocated to fund the job that needs to be done.

Tactics that have failed in the past to prop up this organization must be scrapped.  A new approach is desperately needed.

Since accomplishing these goals in the year remaining until the Presidential primary next spring, a good place to start is for Republican’s to find a suitable candidate for the Senatorial election to replace retiring Senior Senator Diane Feinstein.

With a likely large field of Democrats including Representatives Katie Porter, Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee, and Ro Khanna competing, there is a decent chance a Republican might make it till the run-off in November.  If such a scenario would take place, this would be an ideal platform for voters to differentiate between the two parties.

Such an opportunity has not existed since the recall election of Governor Newsom in 2021.

As it is unlikely a GOP office holder might be running, it is imperative the State Party recruits a viable candidate as opposed to a Herald Stassen want-a-bee

As a starter decent candidates must be recruited. Republicans can no longer allow conservatives to call themselves independents or even Democrats to have any chance of winning.  With no State office holders while holding about 25% of legislative seats, it is almost impossible to imagine how conditions can get even worse.

A key part to turning around the status quo is registering more Republicans.  Even though Democrats with their labor, environmentalist buddies, and lobbyists hold every important office, support for them is soft in many cases.  Just look at the vote of Proposition 20 in the last election

If Republicans can tear away even 10% of decline to state and non-Progressive Democratic voters, they would be viable again on a State level.

Recruitment for this change must come principally by the State Party from the schools to Farmer’s Markets. To be effective those who are being asked to join must know what their political party stands for.  Emphasis should be placed on taxes, job creation, energy policy, housing, law enforcement and public education.

If direction is needed Glenn Youngkin in Virginia and Ron DeSantis in Florida should be emulated.  One attribute both men share is being proud of being a Republican.  Building such pride in California should start with the State Party who needs to communicate with voters what attributes separate them from Gavin Newsom and his Socialistic accomplices from Sacramento.

This wish list is not impossible to achieve.  The current “In your heart you know he’s right” approach is no longer viable for Republican’s in California.  What transpires at the convention next month may well determine the course of the Party in the near future.

New leadership is needed for the State GOP.  It is up to the delegates and their proxies to change the current “Stairway to Heaven” approach that has placed mainstream Republicans on the endangered species list in the 21ar Century.