California’s Republican Party is at a crossroads as it searches for a way to end a two-decade drought in statewide elections, and San Diego Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is betting the answer lies in doubling down on conservative principles rather than softening them to court moderate voters.
DeMaio, known for his combative political style and a growing online following through his YouTube channel and grassroots organization Reform California, has become a lightning rod within his own party. During the June primary, his group backed a slate of candidates that often clashed with those favored by the official California Republican Party, drawing sharp criticism from GOP leadership.
Party officials went so far as to send DeMaio a cease-and-desist letter, arguing he was improperly using Republican branding to promote his preferred candidates. But the pushback did little to slow him down — several of the contenders he supported went on to defeat establishment-backed Republicans in legislative races across the San Diego area, along with one contest in the Central Valley.
One of the most closely watched races played out in San Diego’s Senate District 40, where DeMaio threw his support behind Kristie Bruce-Lane, whom he described as a “fighter” willing to take on Democratic lawmakers directly. Bruce-Lane’s campaign, bolstered by roughly $250,000 in support from DeMaio’s Reform Local Government political action committee, faced off against San Marcos City Councilmember Ed Musgrove, a veteran local official who raised nearly $2 million and secured endorsements from prominent Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and outgoing U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa.
Despite being significantly outspent, Bruce-Lane won the primary and will advance to face former San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott, a Democrat, in November’s general election.
The outcome underscores a broader tension playing out within California’s GOP: whether the path back to relevance runs through moderation or through firing up a more hardline conservative base — a strategy DeMaio appears determined to prove can work, even against the wishes of his own party’s leadership.
In other Capitol news, California Democrats remain split over a proposed tax targeting billionaires. The California Democratic Party voted last week to formally endorse the measure following a contentious internal debate, even as Gov. Gavin Newsom and gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra have both spoken out against Proposition 40.
Meanwhile, the state’s legal battles with the Trump administration continue to rack up wins. California Attorney General Rob Bonta reported this week that the state has successfully protected $207 billion in federal funding that the Trump administration attempted to withhold, after filing dozens of lawsuits since Trump returned to office. Of 79 cases resolved through the end of July, California prevailed in the vast majority — either through court rulings or a change of course by federal officials. The funding in question touched schools, food assistance programs, public safety initiatives and climate-related projects. Bonta’s office estimates it has spent close to $29 million litigating against the administration, drawn largely from a special legal fund state lawmakers created last year in anticipation of exactly this kind of fight.
Elsewhere, advocates are sounding alarms over potential changes to Head Start, the federal early childhood education program that serves roughly 70,000 children across more than 1,800 sites in California. The Trump administration has signaled plans to loosen regulatory requirements for the program, though specifics remain unclear. Critics worry the changes could weaken protections such as low student-to-teacher ratios, minimum staff qualifications, and rules ensuring access for income-eligible children regardless of disability status or immigration status.
And on the water front, a newly released 10-year federal framework for managing the Colorado River has left California officials with more questions than answers. While the plan includes an estimated 10% reduction in California’s water allocation through 2028, it stops short of laying out a clear long-term strategy, leaving the state’s water managers to plan amid continued uncertainty.
Original source: CalMatters
