OC Political: Assemblyman Hagman: California Republicans Still Have a Pulse

Assemblyman Curt Hagman (R-Chino Hills, District 55) offers his thoughts about Republicans place in California politics:

In this world of instant information, news outlets are always looking to be the first to break major stories or provide the most comprehensive analysis of current events. That is why less than 12 hours after the final vote was cast in our state’s recent election; the media was chomping at the bit to write the Republican Party’s political obituary in California as Democrats secured supermajorities in the State Senate and Assembly.  

But to completely write off the GOP after one disappointing election is incredibly shortsighted and fails to take into account the electoral tradition of our state.  In fact, the last party to hold a supermajority in both chambers of the Legislature was the Republican Party in the 1930s and it was only 16 years ago when Republicans held a majority in the Assembly. Republicans will once again return to prominence in state politics.  It will, however, require us to get back to the basics.

A critical mistake that I believe Republicans have made in recent years is allowing the other side to define us as the “party of no.”  That characterization could not be farther from reality. Consider that earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times called Republicans the “party of yes” when we got behind the Governor’s pension reform package. We supported the L.A. Mayor’s effort to eliminate bureaucratic red tape protecting predators in the classroom.  Republicans also put forward our own budget roadmap prioritizing funding for education.

To read the rest of the story, click here.