California Republicans: Irrelevant or on the Way Back?

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published April 8, 2009 at 5:31 AM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

These Days checks up on the health of the California Republican Party. Has the party made any strides since the election in finding a vision acceptable to voters or in expanding its base? The answer

Maureen Cavanaugh : It was only a few years ago that California Republicans were riding high. In 2003, the GOP managed to unseat Democrat Grey Davis with rising Republican superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger. There was a popular Republican president in the White House and the mood of the country seemed to be moving right of center. In fact, there were folks who were even talking about a permanent Republican majority in the US Congress.

Oh, how times have changed. And now the Republican party in California is suffering such a major identity crisis that even potential GOP gubernatorial candidates are talking about it. Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner was recently 34ed saying the state Republican party is pretty aimless.

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Guests

Leo McElroy , independent Sacramento political consultant and contributor to KPBS's Morning Edition.
Thad Kousser , associate professor of political science at UCSD, and co-editor of "The New Political Geography of California."