Ugly numbers for CA state GOP

The party needs to look and think more like the rest of California

George Skelton
Capitol Journal
March 4, 2013

SACRAMENTO — "Too white, too right and too uptight," says a veteran political consultant. "That's why the Republican Party can't come back in California."

Strategist David Townsend is a Democrat, so that's the sort of comment you would expect from the likes of him.

But there were top Republicans at the party's state convention in Sacramento over the weekend making similar observations, in softer tones and absent the negativity. They realize that to survive, the California GOP must broaden its ethnic and ideological bases and be less rigid on social issues.

Karl Rove, former President George W. Bush's chief strategist, told a luncheon of about 500 delegates Saturday that the GOP needs to reflect the diversity of America. "If we do, we'll succeed."

U.S. House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, California's highest-ranking Republican, told the Sacramento Press Club on Friday that the party "should embrace a little bit of libertarianism."

It's hard to argue with the numbers.

(More here.)