At a grim convention, California GOP seeks to regroup after bruising recall defeat
LA TimesCalifornia Republicans, stinging from their lopsided loss in this month’s recall election, sought to regroup and focus on the upcoming midterms at their party convention this weekend. “I’ve been wanting to tell people this is the ‘There’s nowhere else to go but up convention,’” said Orange County delegate and former state GOP executive director Jon Fleischman, adding that he couldn’t because the party’s prospects could sink further because of the decennial redrawing of congressional districts currently underway. Can you turn it around?” said Ray Perez, the vice chairman of the Yolo County GOP, who has been critical of state party leadership’s messaging and communications with voters. “There are very good people who have surprisingly bought into that — my vote doesn’t count in California, so therefore I’m not going to vote,” said Fred Whitaker, chairman of the Orange County GOP, during a panel called “Jim Crow 2.0 or Common Sense: The National Debate Over Election Integrity Laws.” “In any sport, if you don’t go on the field, you will not win. If the party fails to come together over this type of cohesive message, “it will continue to die.” Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who was once largely viewed as the GOP’s best candidate for statewide office and received the support of 9% of voters, met privately with delegates.