Assembly Republicans are not talking publicly, but they're meeting in small groups and buzzing among themselves about the possible overthrow of their caucus leader, Connie Conway.
A key question is whether any Republican can corral enough votes for a coup. No Assembly member has pushed publicly to succeed Conway, though veteran Don Wagner of Irvine and freshman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach are touted privately as possibilities. They did not respond to interview requests Monday.
Republicans are still reeling over the loss of three GOP seats in last November's election, a stunning party defeat that handed Democrats a supermajority in the 80-member house. Conway, a Tulare County Republican, has served for two years as leader of the Assembly GOP.
Political caucuses, like professional sports teams, often react to humiliating defeats by switching managers.
For her part, Conway told The Bee on Monday that she has no intention of stepping down. She silenced critics in November by getting re-elected to the top post two days after the election. But the Assembly's 10-person crop of freshmen has had time to get to know each other since then – and reconsider.
– Jim Sanders
THE STATE WORKER
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a $5 million defamation judgment against the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, brushing aside arguments that the sum is excessive and that a jury's verdict was wrong. The union had put up its West Sacramento building to secure payment but now says it can pay without resorting to that.
– Jon Ortiz
WORTH REPEATING
"Sure they screwed up. But they came back, and that, that kind of energy and intestinal fortitude and guts and imagination, they still demonstrated."
GOV. JERRY BROWN, on the San Francisco 49ers' efforts in the Super Bowl
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