SACRAMENTO, California — Republicans in deep blue California find themselves in unfamiliar territory — a place of political influence.
Republicans have managed to play the spoiler in the blue state’s politics, forcing the majority party to moderate on everything from transgender rights to criminal justice policy, by leaning on their federal allies and exploiting missteps by their counterparts on the left, who are still reeling from a bruising election cycle.
The newfound swagger was literally on display in Sacramento this weekend, where party faithful were sporting sequined jackets and dancing to “YMCA” in the streets outside the state GOP convention as they rode high off President Donald Trump’s return to power.
“We’ve seen a rightward shift even in deep blue LA,” said Roxanne Hoge, Los Angeles County GOP chair, noting local voters elected a moderate district attorney and approved a ballot measure hiking penalties for some lower-level crimes. “It turns out people really don’t like being mugged.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom stunned fellow Democrats this month by suggesting it wasn’t fair for transgender athletes to play women’s sports — a viewpoint shared by Riley Gaines, a keynote speaker at the California Republican Party confab. While Republican legislation on transgender athletes faces an uphill battle in the statehouse, GOP state lawmakers have a new target: health care for undocumented immigrants.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher on Friday seized on a multibillion-dollar shortfall in the state’s Medicaid program as an example of the ruling party’s misplaced priorities. There are multiple reasons for the deficit, but the state estimates it will cost more than $8 billion this fiscal year, more than anticipated, to cover Medicaid for undocumented immigrants.
“This is the kind of stuff that pisses people off,” Gallagher said during an election recap at the convention. “And we continue to message that — it continues to drive this contrast.”
In many ways, Republicans remain at the margins of California politics. Despite losing three statehouse seats last fall, Democrats still enjoy a supermajority, and a Republican has not won a statewide office in decades. California was also one of the few bright spots for Dems in the battle for control of Congress.
And Trump policies on tariffs and Medicaid cuts could become a liability, particularly if they contribute to a recession — threats that Republicans largely downplayed during the weekend.
“The only rule about the stock market is that it’s like a roller coaster,” Hoge said. “As long as you don’t jump off, you’re fine. And I think we have to give President Trump and his administration the grace of a year to see how that plays out, because that man plays the long game.”
The state GOP sees some of its electoral wins, including in two Latino-majority Assembly districts, as evidence they’re making progress with voters that had overwhelmingly aligned with the Democratic Party for decades.
Californians are “wising up” to the failures of Democratic leaders, outgoing state GOP party chair Jessica Millan Patterson said in an interview last week.
“They care about having water and fire hydrants when there’s a fire, they care about having the proper response and the proper funds for public safety,” she said, referencing the government response to the recent Los Angeles wildfires. “They care about their kids who have been left behind because of policy decisions that are being made on education. They care about their jobs that are literally leaving California so much so that we lost a congressional seat.”
Leaders who spoke at the convention took a victory lap on Proposition 36 — a November ballot measure increasing penalties for theft and drug crimes — as well as bills from state Sen. Shannon Grove tightening sentences for sex trafficking. They talked up opportunities to advance additional tough-on-crime proposals, along with voter ID requirements and other contentious issues.
The word “common sense” came up time and time again, with GOP leaders presenting themselves as the “adults in the room” on safety, affordability and state spending.
“The people right now see the mess and the chaos on the other side, and their narrative and their agenda,” said Lisa Moreno, outgoing Central Valley regional vice chair. “It’s so crazy. It’s off the deep end. They’re like, ‘You know what? I’ll take my chances. I’ll navigate this.’”
Two years ago, Democrats would have swatted away criticism from the minority party. But in several instances over the past few months — even during a special session Newsom called after Trump’s victory in November — Democratic leaders have worked to preempt or mitigate fallout from Republican PR attacks, which are often amplified by prominent Trump allies like Elon Musk. After GOP lawmakers questioned whether funding from a legal-aid proposal could be used to help people with criminal records avoid deportation, Newsom in his bill signing suggested the Legislature may need to clarify otherwise.
And then there was Prop 36, which Republicans, district attorneys and law enforcement advanced to roll back portions of a landmark 2014 criminal justice reform. Some Democrats ultimately supported the change, but Newsom objected to it, and even briefly floated a rival ballot initiative.
Democratic Party leaders are sensitive to a shifting political climate, aware that voter frustrations about affordability, homelessness and crime don’t bend in their favor.
“There’s no question that voters tacked right nationally and in California last November,” said Chris Tapio, a Sacramento-based consultant who advises moderate Democrats. “Though it was just a red ripple here.”
Palm Spring-area Assemblymember Greg Wallis said Republicans can capitalize on this moment by being “focused on things that are actually impacting Californians,” including “affordability, safer streets and better schools.”
The high cost of living, from gas prices to electricity bills, has prompted voters to “stop looking at party as their driving force,” Moreno said, adding that she sees people wearing MAGA hats “who are not the traditional perceived MAGA supporter.”
“It’s a different environment,” Moreno said. “Now it’s OK and it’s cool to be Republican. Dare I say, it’s OK and it’s cool to be MAGA, whereas before, no way.”
Melanie Mason contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
