Trump Looms Large as California GOP Convention Opens

The math isn't friendly for Californian Republicans as they gather for their state convention this weekend in Sacramento.

Less than 30 percent of California voters are registered as Republicans. The number of local Republican officials is dropping off as well. And as long as Democrats stick together, their two-thirds majorities in the Assembly and Senate mean the party doesn’t need GOP votes to pass anything in the Legislature.

In hopes of getting some traction, GOP political consultant Mike Madrid likes the party’s current focus on addressing poverty.

“In bluest of blue California you’ve got some of the largest and worst poverty problems anywhere in America," Madrid said. "And it’s an area that is ripe to be exploited politically. Republicans need to be talking about that because they can clearly point out where there have been policy failures on the part of the Democrats.”

State Sen. Joel Anderson from San Diego agrees that Republicans need to stand for something, rather than just opposing the Democrats’ policies.

"It’s time for us to quit taking the blame for Democrat leadership," he said. "And I think if we offer an alternative -- a positive alternative -- there would be a lot of swing voters that would come to our party."

And the party needs those swing voters. Changing state demographics mean the GOP’s traditional base of mostly white suburban voters is shrinking. But Assemblyman Vince Fong from Bakersfield said the changing electorate also presents a chance for Republicans to expand their base in California.

“As someone who is an Asian-American conservative Republican, we certainly have opportunities to appeal to millennials, to women, to minorities," he said. "And we need to recruit them to get involved in the party, to have them run for office, and I think that’s our challenge moving forward.”

Fong said spreading the party’s message on water management and improving the business climate and education system could attract a wider variety of voters.

Capturing the White House usually helps the party in power, and nationally Republicans hold a lot of power. But President Trump is creating political challenges in California, especially with women, minorities and immigrants.

Consultant Madrid said the dynamic will be a tricky one for the state GOP to navigate.

“Can you reach out on issues and connect with people on the issues that matter to them," he said, "while you also have to carry the burden of the national brand that plays very well with people in other states but not so well here in California?”

Still, Madrid said the recent re-election of the state’s entire Republican congressional delegation shows there’s still plenty of GOP loyalty left in California. That's loyalty the party needs to become more powerful in California politics.