Shocker: California GOP Is In Trouble

With their registrations sinking and their political clout withering, California Republicans have come out of the November election in danger of slipping into political irrelevance across much of the state.

“There’s been a broad repudiation of traditional conservative Republicans in California,” said Tony Quinn, a former GOP analyst and co-editor of the California Target Book, which focuses on political contests in the state. “There are almost no areas in the state that can be considered safely Republican anymore.”

But, Quinn does NOT mention Proposition 11 that barely passed and the changes the heavily Democrat gerrymandered districts. But, Flap digresses.

The GOP brand has been hurt by President Bush and the corrupt GOP establishment in Congress, no doubt.

But, there are opportunities and although down and out now, the upside is good for the GOP – but maybe not majority but relevant.

Here are the stats:

October 2004

• Total registered voters: 16.5 million
• Registered Democrats: 7.1 million (43 percent)
• Registered Republicans: 5.7 million (34.7 percent)
• Registration gap: Democrats ahead by 1.4 million

October 2008

• Total registered voters: 17.3 million
• Registered Democrats: 7.7 million (44 percent)
• Registered Republicans: 5.4 million (31.3 percent)
• Registration gap: Democrats ahead by 2.3 million

Counties that changed to majority Democrats since 2004

• Alpine
• San Bernardino
• San Joaquin
• Stanislaus
• Ventura

Counties nearing majority Democrats since 2004

• Del Norte (8 voters)
• San Diego (380 voters)
• Trinity (40 voters)

Source: California secretary of state

The rebuilding will begin by the end of the decade with new legislative districts and term limits throwing out the incumbent Democrats.

Flap doubts California voters will change the 2/3’rds vote requirement for passing the state budget or to raise taxes. But, do the Democrats really want to push the issue?

Voters now blame Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for the economic mess which he was first elected to fix when he was elected six years ago. If the Democrats in the legislature want accountablility Flap is positive the GOP will be glad to oblige.

Watch for new registration initiatives as well for the California GOP beginning by next summer.

Stay tuned…..