Yeah, probably so – at least for now in state-wide offices.

The Republican Party, as a brand, is dead in California.

That’s the eye-opening consensus of a crowd of political observers, lawmakers and strategists – Democrats and Republicans – gathered at a UC Berkeley symposium this weekend to mull over California’s defiantly blue status in the wake of a conservative tide that swept the nation in November.

Many of the 200 attendees at the two-day Institute of Governmental Studies conference appeared surprisingly unified on one issue: that, barring dramatic upheaval, the GOP’s prospects may be doomed in the voter-rich Golden State.

“Republicans, as a brand, are dead,” Duf Sundheim, the former state GOP chair, told the gathering Saturday.

Exhibit A: Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley, who had racked up a string of election victories in nonpartisan offices. But Cooley lost the 2010 state attorney general’s race to San Francisco Democrat Kamala Harris. Why? “He had an ‘R’ after his name,” Sundheim said.

“There’s a brand problem,” agreed Republican Jim Brulte, former state Senate minority leader.

Here is what I wrote after the November election.

California with its ethnic and geographic segmentation has been a super Democratic state. But, on the other hand, it appears to be the only state so predisposed, along with New York. The Democratic Party has become a regional, ethnic, and two state party.

So, what will be the policy implications of these findings?

• I don’t think the national Republican Party will put too much money into California for statewide races any longer – at least for the foreseeable future.
• There will be a hardening of national GOP positions on illegal immigration, border security, and illegal alien amnesty.
• California will not be the recipient of much Congressionally generated pork or bailout monies.
• The California Republican Party will hunker down into a permanent minority roll and concentrate on winning Congressional and Legislative seats in “RED” districts while waiting for opportunities.
• California already known as business-unfriendly will be a jobs donor to other states who recruit California businesses.

California is in a deep blue hole and it may take decades to change – if ever.

But, the Democrats will have to govern and there will be no excuses – sink or swim. After redistricting and a few election cycles if California does not thrive, the California GOP will re-emerge like a phoenix from the ashes.

Well, the California Republican Party (CRP) unlike the rest of the country did not perform well in this year’s elections. In fact, it appears the CA GOP lost every statewide race from Governor to Insurance Commissioner.

The California Democratic Party will continue to control the California Legislature as they have for decades (except for a few years) since World War II.

So, what should California Republicans do?

There have been suggestions from Democrat, left-leaning mainstream media types to change it up and betray, I mean modify, party principles.

Why?

The GOP’s principles of smaller government, lower taxes, individual liberty and freedom, strong defense and less government are winners nationally and successful. The national GOP won back a majority in the House and made significant inroads into the super majority of a Democrat controlled U.S. Senate. Since World War II, the Republican Party has held the White House more than the Democrats.

Election 2010 was an overwhelming success for the Republican Party  – except in California.

Again, why?

The short answer is demographics.

I don’t have to beat the drum about ethnic voting blocks in California. It is painfully evident in the election results and will continue to be in statewide California elections.

California Republicans will have to be patient and wait until the Democrat super majorities run California into a ditch (which they will) and then pick up the pieces incrementally (independent commission redistricting next year will help), nurture their officeholders in California red areas, and recruit new candidates from the professions, business and industry who wish to serve. In the short term, they may also have to concede California as a deep blue Democratic state and fundraise/support Republican candidates from outside the state. After all, the Democratic Party nationally has become a two state regional party anyway.

But, sacrificing or selling out one’s principles by becoming Republican Lite or moderate Democrats is a non-starter.

Then, there really will be NO alternative to California Democrats who trend LEFT.

The California Republican Party will make a come back and win more elections because the principles are RIGHT. The CRP should stay the course.