California Republicans managed to block a Democratic supermajority in the state Senate, and made gains in the Assembly. But the party failed to win any statewide office. Yet that doesn't discourage one party leader.
Republican Lt. Governor candidate Ron Nehring did not win his race. Neither did any other Republican running for statewide office. Nehring is former state party chair. He says it was still a fantastic night for the candidates, because the races were much closer than anyone predicted. And he says there are some lessons the party can take from the election.
"The first thing is we have to rely upon our own analysis," he says, "instead of relying upon people who are lobbyists and others who are Democrats in Sacramento who put this spin out there to try to convince Republican donors and volunteers not to show up."
And Nehring says there are opportunities for the state Republican party to reach out to new voters in the future.
"The biggest constituency in California that supports school choice are African Americans. Republicans are on the same side on that issue," he says. "The biggest community that opposes drug legalization and expanding drug use the way some people want to in the Democratic party are our Latino community."
Nehring says those are both examples of how the party can build coalitions that cross traditional partisan divides.
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