The obvious they is the MSM represented by the McClatchy Syndicate.
The answer is easy. It wasn't in their best interests 2 years ago while the gang was madly increasing social spending and the CDP hadn't yet chosen a gubernatorial candidate.
Today things are different, principally because the CDP can't field a credible candidate. Today, with conservatives allied against the policies of the CRP candidate, the MSM is going to pound the Austrian regarding his shams in support of his liberal agenda in a fashion that doesn't highlight his core philosophy.
Note that McClatchy did not attack the increased spending per se, just the ploys used to obscure the truth by both sides.
This is why liberal Republicans are so destructive to the party. The leftward MSM won't expose the sham because it advances their ultimate agenda and the conservative new-media won't expose it because they are silenced into supporting the (R) Candidate on the "he can win" (illogical) logic.
Why not make the merger formal and just declare California a one-party system (that of socialists and corruption).