Free Republic

A panel discussion of California Republicans: Catherine Baker, FORMER Assemblywomen R-16; Kevin Faulkoner, Mayor of San Diego; Kristin Olsen, FORMER Minority Leader, California State Assembly, etc. etc.; Matt Shupe, Director John Cox for Governor and Chair of Republican party in Contra Costa county (East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area); Snarky Moderator Scott Shafer, KQED (PBS) Senior Political editor. All discussed how evil Trump was and how he cost them their races! I attended and feel obligated to report on this pathetic exercise.

In a little-noticed move this week, California State Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen, completed a purge of “conservative” policy staffers.  The dramatic reversal—in both function and ideology of the Assembly Republican Caucus—mirrors the California GOP’s leftward shift, which has eschewed social conservatives as a “fringe” element. By softening the party’s stances on issues like illegal immigration, traditional marriage, Common Core, and ObamaCare, the GOP establishment both nationally and here in California believes the party will attract more voters from the center than the party loses from the right.