Why California’s Republican lawmakers are more optimistic than they’ve been in years
Happy Wednesday. Welcome to the A.M. Alert!
LEGISLATIVE REPUBLICANS’ MOMENT
Republicans in the California Legislature are feeling more optimistic than they have in years.
With special elections for two vacant seats wrapped up and new members, Assemblymember Stan Ellis and Sen. Tony Strickland, sworn in, Republican caucuses have netted three seats since last year (not counting Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil’s switch to the party). The GOP now makes up exactly 25% of members in each chamber.
It’s still a superminority, but Republican members see themselves as an emergent voice on “common sense” issues facing California.
“We’ve let policies of altruism dominate,” Fresno Assemblymember David Tangipa said Tuesday at a panel hosted by the Sacramento Press Club. Meanwhile, “my community, my demographic can’t buy a home, can’t afford insurance, can’t afford gas, can’t afford groceries.”
Republicans are quick to point out that housing costs and homelessness have skyrocketed under Democratic control of the state and public safety has reemerged as a top voter concern.
“Democrats, just keep doing what you’re doing. We’ll just step to the side,” taunted Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a firebrand freshman who’s already irked his colleagues across the aisle.
Focusing on the basics is what helped the party make inroads with Latino voters in 2024, Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares argued.
“Second- and third-generation (immigrant) Latino voters are now in the electorate and they’re looking for the issues that are affecting their households, their pocketbooks,” she said.
The Santa Clarita Republican recalled liberal members of her family sending her news stories about a bill to expand a popular first-time homebuyer program to undocumented immigrants, which Gov. Gavin Newsom ultimately vetoed.
“I got multiple texts from people that were just infuriated with that. They’re saying, ‘Hey, who’s fighting for me?’” she said. “Latinos are frustrated.”
Each member had various diagnoses for the challenges facing the state and their party – and a variety of ways to address them: focus on affordability, keep courting diverse candidates and voters, keep the conversation on state rather than federal issues.
But the throughline is that Republicans see Democrats’ power in California slipping and the majority party only has itself to blame.
“It’s a wake-up call for Democrats to take a look at what they’re actually focusing on,” said Bill Wong, a former political director for the Assembly Democratic Caucus.
But he offered a reality check to Republicans’ renewed confidence: “They may chip away at the supermajority but it’s going to be a long, long time before they ever have an opportunity to take over the majority,” he said.
No matter their numbers, GOP lawmakers say they’re also focused – and seeing progress – on bipartisan solutions.
“This year, I’ve had more robust and positive conversations with my colleagues across the aisle than I’ve ever had,” Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones told The Bee after Strickland’s swearing-in . “We’re going to be able to build a coalition of people that actually want to do the right thing for all of California
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Via Lia Russell
“I agree. I’m fascinated by Tucker.” – Gov. Gavin Newsom in response to Michael Savage’s suggestion to host Tucker Carlson on his new podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom.”
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