California Republican Party | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Chairperson | Jessica Patterson |
Assembly leadership | Marie Waldron (Minority Leader) |
Senate leadership | Shannon Grove (Minority Leader) |
Founded | 1854 |
Headquarters | Sacramento |
Ideology | Conservatism |
National affiliation | U.S. Republican Party |
Colors | |
Seats in the US Senate | |
Seats in the US House | |
Statewide Executive Offices | |
Seats in the State Senate | |
Seats in the State Assembly | |
Website | |
www.cagop.org | |
The California Republican Party (CAGOP) is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in the U.S. state of California. The party is based in Sacramento and is led by chair Jessica Patterson.[1]
As of October 2020, Republicans represent approximately 24% of the state's registered voters,[2] placing the party far behind the California Democratic Party which has 46% of registered voters. The party is a superminority in the California State Legislature, holding only 19 seats out of 80 in the California State Assembly and 9 seats out of 40 in the California State Senate. The party holds none of the eight statewide executive branch offices, 11 of the state's 53 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives delegation, and neither of California's seats in the U.S. Senate.
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2020) |
The two Republican presidents who were from California are Richard Nixon, who was a U.S. representative and senator from California, and Ronald Reagan, who was a governor of California.
The last time a Republican presidential candidate carried the state of California was George H. W. Bush in 1988.
In 2018, the California Republican Party had fewer registered voters than voters registered with a no party preference option, but that trend reversed in 2020.[3][4]
The following is a list of Republican statewide, federal, and legislative officeholders:
Both of California's U.S. Senate seats have been held by Democrats since 1992. John F. Seymour was the last Republican to represent California in the U.S. Senate. Appointed in 1991 by Pete Wilson who resigned his Class I Senate seat because he was elected governor in 1990, Seymour lost the 1992 special election to determine who would serve the remainder of the term expiring in 1995. Seymour lost the special election to Democratic challenger Dianne Feinstein, who was subsequently elected to a full term two years later and has held the seat since. Pete Wilson was also the last Republican elected to represent California in the U.S. Senate in 1988, and the last Republican to represent California for a full term in the U.S. Senate from 1983 to 1989.
With the passage of Prop 14 in 2010 setting up a jungle primary system in California, no Republican has made it to a US Senatorial general election in California since 2012, as the general elections in both the 2016 US Senate election, as well as in the 2018 US Senate election featured only candidates affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Out of the 53 seats California is apportioned in the U.S. House of Representatives, 11 are held by Republicans:
California has not elected any GOP candidates to statewide office since 2006, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was re-elected as governor and Steve Poizner was elected insurance commissioner. In 2010, term limits prevented Schwarzenegger from seeking a third term while Poizner chose not to seek re-election as insurance commissioner, instead making an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for governor. In 2018, Poizner attempted to run again for his old seat of insurance commissioner, but did so without the affiliation to the Republican Party.
Republicans hold one of the five seats on the State Board of Equalization:[5]
Republicans are in the minority, holding nine of the 40 seats in the State Senate. Republicans have been the minority party in the Senate since 1970.
Republicans hold 19 of the 80 seats in the State Assembly.[6] The last time the Republicans were the majority party in the Assembly was during 1994-1996.
Of California's ten largest cities, three have Republican mayors as of 2020:
The California Republican Party is a "political party that has detailed statutory provisions applicable to its operation", which are in division 7, part 3 of the California Elections Code.[10][11] The Republican State Central Committee (RSCC), the governing body of the California Republican Party, functions pursuant to its standing rules and bylaws.[12][13][14] The RSCC works together with the Republican county central committees and district central committees,[14] with county central committees appointing delegates to the RSCC.[15] The regular officers of the RSCC are the chairman, state vice chairman, eight regional vice chairmen, secretary, and treasurer.[16]
There are semi-autonomous county central committees for each of California's 58 counties.[10][14] At every direct primary election (presidential primary) or when district boundaries are redrawn,[17] their members are either elected by supervisor district or Assembly district depending on the county.[18]
County party | Elected members |
---|---|
Republican Party of Los Angeles County | Assembly district committee members elected at the direct primary elections.[19] |
Republican Party of San Diego County | Six regular members elected from each Assembly district in the county.[20] |
Republican Party of Orange County | Six members elected from each Assembly district.[21][22] |