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California GOP Chairman's Dire Warning To National Republicans: 'We're The Canary In The Coal Mine'

California Republican Party chairman Jim Brulte speaks during the CRP general assembly meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Sept. 20, 2015.
Associated Press
California Republican Party chairman Jim Brulte speaks during the CRP general assembly meeting in Anaheim, Calif., Sept. 20, 2015.

California Republican Party chairman Jim Brulte said his state party is the “canary in the coal mine” for the national GOP.

Republicans lost all seven of California’s competitive House races in last month’s midterms, as well as every statewide constitutional office. They now control barely a quarter of the seats in the state Legislature.

Brulte said Republicans should take very seriously the California GOP’s dismal showing.

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“Don’t think California’s just a bunch of crazy whackos,” he said in an interview with Capital Public Radio. “We’re the leading edge of demographic change. And that demographic change is coming to communities in your state as well.”

And Brulte dismisses claims from some in his own party that Democrats’ big gains in ballots counted after Election Day could constitute voter fraud.

“The results are the results,” he said, noting that ballots counted after Election Day have historically benefited Democrats.

“None of the campaigns that we have been interacting with — and we’ve been interacting with a bunch of them — have come to us and said, ‘We have evidence of voter fraud. Here it is. Can you help us look into it?’”