Last election cycle, while knocking on Republican doors during my congressional campaign against Maxine Waters, three responses came up more than any others:
- “There are Republicans in Los Angeles?”
- “California is a lost cause — I’m moving to (insert red state’s name here).”
- “I hate Maxine Waters, I hope you kick her… But I gave up on the County and State party years ago — they’re good for nothing.”
The first sparked exciting political fellowship. The second made me feel like I was watching another warrior walk off the battlefield. But the third?
That one stung.
And yet, I get it. Many registered Republicans in California are stuck in a state of apathy.
Voting feels like a lifeless procedure buried in junk mail. And even though the vast majority of Californians across party lines agree that things aren’t going well, Democrat control remains untouched.
Crime is up. The cost of living is up. Homelessness continues to increase. Public schools are failing. People are fleeing.
And still… the same people keep getting reelected.
But let’s not just blame the Democrats. The Republican Party in California has a messaging problem and a delivery problem.
We’re not reaching people where they are.
While not abandoning traditional platforms, digital messaging — email, social media, and text — should be our frontline tools. However, digital tools without the right message are ineffective. We need to simplify and localize our message as well.
Most elections in California are technically non-partisan — school boards, city councils, and special districts. That’s where we should be winning.
We need to stop nationalizing races that are meant to be local.
Here’s an example of a message that might connect:
“How’ve things been going for you? Instead of voting for (insert liberal opponent’s name here) again, how about trying someone new? What do you have to lose?”
It’s simple. It’s relatable. And it cuts through.
Instead, we’re too often stuck in our echo chamber — talking to other Republicans about how bad Democrats are and how great we are.
Meanwhile, independent voters and disenfranchised Democrats — people just waiting to be invited into something different — are ignored because the GOP fails to offer a compelling, local, and emotionally resonant alternative.
And let’s be honest: we waste too much energy fighting among ourselves.
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It’s always the same — grassroots vs. establishment, conservative vs. RINO. Rinse and repeat. We’re locked in a permanent civil war while the Left steamrolls, leaving us with nothing but moral victories.
Incremental wins aren’t enough. Too many Republicans in the party apparatus treat crumbs like cake. We slap each other on the back for barely clearing 20 percent in a blue district while the Democrat machine keeps chugging along.
As I said before, I didn’t join a party. I joined a fight.
And unless more of us do the same and stop waiting for someone else to fix it, stop retreating to red states, stop clinging to old titles and turf, we’ll be stuck in this state of apathy forever.
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