California was never a Republican state, at best it was a swing state back then. Ronald Reagan was Governor in between the two liberal Democrat Brown’s (Pat and Jerry). Nixon, the homestate favorite, won by less than 1% when he ran for President in 1960, then lost it big time when he ran for Governor of California two years later in 1962.
When California Republicans were winning most Governorships and a 9 out of 10 Presidential streak, that was Republican.
Nixon and Reagan were not good examples for you, I don’t know about the others that you used.