San Diego County Republican Leader Discusses California’s GOP Strategy

As the nation waits to hear from President Trump for the first time Republicans are still basking in the glow. The victory of Donald Trump could spark a Republican concert -- resurgence. With only 26% of the state electorate and a supermajority of Democrats in both house and check -- Senate the GOP has its work cut out for it. 20 me is San Diego County Republican County chair Tony. Welcome to the program. Thank you. I've read reports that use the I objectives celebratory and festive. I wonder how you would describe the mood last weekend in Sacramento? I would say optimistic. Everybody had a little extra spring in their step because thank God California is still part of America so the Republican control on the federal level some of that of course will affect us here in California as well. Just people are more optimistic and they are primed for 2018. What is it about the Trump victory that you believe will translate into votes for California Republicans? I think we have to give the policy some time to work out. The number one thing for most people is getting jobs back and bringing jobs back to America and a rising tide lifts all boats so clearly California did not vote for President Trump's of people here most people. Week -- a wait and see approach so that will translate into gains and improved approval here in California as well. When I was reading this I saw that some people were a bit concerned about the GOP's bench of candidates for state Senate and assembly seats. Most a particular as a candidate for governor. Who do you see as a potential GOP candidate for governor? What we have noticed is that the candidates matter. Especially in California were obviously there are a lot more Democrats than Republicans but there is no doubt about it. The candidates weather for governor or for a local school board it has to have a crossover appeal and as a matter of fact local offices Republicans and Democrats occupy roughly the same amount. If you look at local offices across the state. It looks a lot better on the local level then on the state level. Running for governor will be a tough task. I have no idea who may run. That is the purview of state party chairman so I will put that question to him. We have 400 local electoral -- elected officials of for 2018 and that is our main charge. We want to be sure we have 400 local Republicans for every one of those office. As I said tonight President Trump gives us first speech to Congress. What are you hoping to hear from that address that will help further energize the state GOP? What we are hearing from the president's number one get the economy going again. We have had eight years of this recovery and a long time and many people out there are feeling left behind we have had very little witchcraft -- growth and jobs have been shipped overseas. One thing we can agree on was we have to get jobs back to this country and we have to return power back to the state. We have a special way of doing things and that is compatible with President Trump because he wants to have less power on the federal level. If California wants to run itself into the ground like Democrats have done because they on the entire state of California state of affairs but others can choose a different path. Basically that will be will be lower taxes on a federal level and try to bring jobs back and push power back to the states. In order to win in California Republicans have got to reach out to independent and possibly to Democrats. How are they planning to do that? There are a couple of big differences between the parties and Republicans need to do a better job of articulating those differences. The one main one that comes to mind for me is school choice. Republicans are for school choice and Democrats are not for school choice. If you are a single mom living in a less than desirable neighborhood your son or daughter is basically destined to go to whatever school the government says that they have to go to. As we know oftentimes that is not a great school. Giving parents a choice of whether child to -- goes to school -- not given them that choice is kind of insulting. Want to be sure that that is something that we talk about and of course we want small and efficient government whereas Democrats seem to have an insatiable appetite for more government and more top-down control. Over the weekend Republican Congressman Darrell I said by either calling for a prosecutor or independent commission to look into Russian attempts to interfere in the presidential election. Do you support that idea? Russians are bad guys. There is no doubt about it. We will see where this leads. The Congressman is a leading voice in Congress and so I know that will work its way through and whatever comes out of it comes out of it. Certainly Russians are no friends of the United States. I think the Congressman recognizes that. Finally, the people who are fired a politically now seem to be Democrats and progressives. Do you see the same energy among Republicans and conservatives? I do. I would like to see -- let's finally have a debate between the two -- oftentimes it gets muddy but there are two distinct divisions of the United States. Let's finally have that debate and I am all for it. CNN had a debate between Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz and a lot of people enjoyed seeing the contrast and we will let the American people decide we are smart enough. Everybody has to sharpen my skills in their arguments and that it will be whatever it will be. I have been speaking with Republican Party chair Tony for San Diego. Think you very much.