Guest Commentary
by Shawn Steel
Once every generation comes along a unique political leader.
Carl DeMaio is the real thing. In an age of political defeatism and angst, Carl earned San Diego citizens’ trust when they elected him to the city council. With a platform of fiscal reform, Carl offered honest and real solutions to San Diego’s financial melt-down. Carls’s ideas and approach are drawing national attention – and his success is winning converts and being imitated across the country. So much so that big labor has made him a top target to defeat in this election.
Today San Diegans face a stark choice. Ronald Reagan’s leadership was built on the idea of “raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors.” We must support those candidates with conservative, fiscally responsible values.
The resurgence of the Republican Party in California will depend on candidates advocating a reform agenda and Carl DeMaio’s campaign is the model for such resurgence.
You have probably heard of his opponent, Nathan Fletcher. Nathan worked for me twice. First when I ran for state chairman of the California Republican Party, then when I appointed him as political director. I know Nathan well. I even contributed to him. Sadly, Nathan lost his purpose and direction.
When elected to the Assembly in Sacramento he began compromising with the very people who have systematically looted tax-payers for decades. Certainly, Reagan didn’t compromise.
Nathan appeared before the local Republican Party, as did Carl, asking for the Party endorsement. When Carl won the local GOP endorsement, Nathan stormed out of the room. The next week he became “Independent,” further abandoning any conservative principles he had left.
But Nathan didn’t just abandon the Republican Party – he has abandoned the taxpayers. This year alone, Fletcher has missed 70 percent of legislative sessions including over 260 votes but still took his $95,000 taxpayer funded salary.
Carl DeMaio is a leader for our party.
Will you stand with me and Carl now? I hope you enthusiastically join with me in supporting Carl DeMaio as San Diego’s next mayor.
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Steel is California’s National Committeeman on the Republican National Committee
Comments 13
Really, Reagan didn’t compromise? As Governor, did Reagan raise taxes? Did he legalize abortion? Would you consider those his core principles that he stood by without question? I wouldn’t.
I would argue that Reagan understood the environment in which he worked and adapted to get things done, in California and in the White House.
Glad to see that another CA GOP leader who has overseen the demise of the Republican Party in California endorsing DeMaio.
Shawn, I’m obviously not going to use my real name here but I know you quite well and you’re a decent guy.
After watching numerous instances of the CRP’s goofy endorsement process along with that of its county affiliates in motion, it seems that Nathan Fletcher did not abandon the Republican Party, the Republican Party abandoned him. We do not have the numbers or the mandate to demand ideological purity, but make asses of ourselves by acting as if we do. Fletcher had to make tougher choices as an Assemblyman than DeMaio had to as a city councilmember.
Ironically, many Republicans chastised Fletcher, a decorated combat veteran, for supporting gays in the military, while Carl DeMaio, who is openly gay, has run attack mailers against Fletcher’s support of LGBT rights in a pathetic attempt to appeal to the religious right.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carl-demaio-pressured-to-respond-to-lgbt-community-amid-anti-gay-endorsements-142819205.html
None of this would have happened if the party would have remained neutral until after the primaries. Now, whatever happens, the party lost a rising star and a good man in Nathan Fletcher and I’m sure Bonnie Dumanis isn’t exactly pleased about this either. If DeMaio loses, then the CAGOP will be the laughing stock of the state, and if he ends up winning and being a mediocre mayor who can’t keep his promises which looks to be the most likely scenario, then it’s another embarassment for the party.
“If DeMaio loses, then the CAGOP will be the laughing stock of the state, and if he ends up winning and being a mediocre mayor who can’t keep his promises which looks to be the most likely scenario, then it’s another embarassment for the party.”
…and when he wins, and CPR is the model for pension reform in thousands of cities, and all 50 states, he moves the CAGOP more towards the majority party.
California is going broke because Republicans have been too worried about offending the moderate middle to act like, well…Republicans. The simple truth is that when both parties stand for bigger government, the voters trust the Democrats more to loot the Treasury for special interests…so they vote for the Democrats hoping that they get some of the largesse being doled out.
Mr Steel is correct. We need to paint in bold colors. The differences need to be stark. The solutions need to be defined clearly. California voters need to know that we are the party which will leave them alone, to plan their own lives. Then…we win…we win BIG.
I got a mailer today warning Democrats that voting for Filner means the election of “right-wing extremist” Carl DeMaio.
The mailer says it came from San Diegans for Nathan Fletcher, which says it is “not authorized by a candidate or committee controlled by a candidate.”
That’s from the SuperPAC in support of Fletcher.
Gregory and Sam,
You all advocate a Republican Party that takes one step forward and two steps backward. Since you want to move the Republican Party ever to the left a la Nathan Fletcher why don’t you join him and form The Independent Far Left Party. At least you would then have a recognizable vehicle giving you a platform where you could openly tout your leftist desires.
Brian, Republicans aren’t winning because they are very good at shooting themselves in the foot. Tell me why the party had to come out and endorse DeMaio when two other strong Republicans were running in the primary… was it worth losing Fletcher and possibly Dumanis?
I have little faith in a man who’s company took millions of dollars of no-bid contracts and tried to defund the City Ethics commission after it reprimanded him.
And looking at Mole’s derpfest of a post, morons like him are why we keep losing good candidates like Fletcher and Smythe along with voters calling themselves Republicans.
I am all for competition and encouraging anyone interested to toss their hat into the ring. However, Gregory’s last comment sparked a thought…why is it that the Democrats have only one candidate (and maybe not even their best option) running for one of the most important offices in San Diego, while the Republicans have/had several? Did the Democrats really do that much better of a job clearing the field? Did they basically write off the seat?
WINNER!!!
There you have it folks, Mole has just captured in a single post the tone of the party today that is driving folks from our rolls.
I vote Republican 99% of the time. I have been active, I have been involved, I have helped get Republicans elected cycle after cycle after cycle.
But, the minute I do not tow the party line, or suggest that the same people who have run the party for the past 15 years are wrong, I’m told to get the heck out. If he doesn’t say that, he’d call me a RINO or a squish.
The Republican Party in California is failing. Our shareholders (the public) are selling off in droves yet people still continue to yell that we need to double down on the same policies that have failed us. The people want politicians who will get the job done, and the party is doing anything but that. We have turned into a permanent minority whose only real position is to vote no, regardless of the idea, with no real plan to win the state back.
I’m not leaving the party Mole, because the party is mine as much as it is yours. I intend to shout from the rooftops that MY party is wrong, and work to change it.
I am not a Democrat, I am not a libertarian, I am not DTS or independent. I am a Republican. And when a non-Republican has better ideas to get the job done, I will vote for them.
Its time to bring back the big tent.
“Its time to bring back the big tent.”
Agreed but that tent opened with the DeMaio endorsement.. You and I are going to disagree, so get engaged, debate me and those who want to restore the GOP to the limited government, pro-capitalism, pro-Liberty party it once was.
It’s silly to make statements about people leaving the party which aren’t true, though. Registrations and fundraising are setting records since the DeMaio endorsement because we are attracting the very people who want pro-Liberty candidates. The GOP has always been the party of ideas and there is room enough for you and me.
Brian,
I agree that limited government, pro-capitalism, pro-Liberty is the way to go and CRP is a great ballot meausre. In fact, I think Carl did great on CRP, with the support of Mayor Sanders, Councilman Kevin Faulconer and the Lincoln Club.
We do disagree on a few things though.
The tent started to open in San Diego back in 2008 when committee members defeated a motion on the floor (and in Exec Session) to revoke an early endorsement of Mayor Sanders due to his change in position on gay marriage. At that moment, gay marriage became an issue that was acceptable to the party or at least more of a non-issue. Until then, it had been frowned upon to take that position, or anything like it.
Regarding voter registration, San Diego and the state are very different. San Diego tends to be an outlier from the state. Statewide the party is weaker than it has ever been with DTS & other parties only 3.8% behind Republicans in total registration. (As of 5/21/12: Dem-43.4%, Rep-30.2%, DTS- 21.3% Other- 5.1%). Which is why an endorsement from Shawn Steel, who has been very influential in the party for years and is partly to blame with our current situation, is terrifying.
And to be honest, Mole’s comment was extremely common on this blog and in all Republican political circles until Nathan called everyone’s bluff and walked. Now people think twice before calling someone a RINO or telling them to get out.
Last, this is the most exciting and expensive race in years. Nathan is what is driving donations to the party, not Carl. Carl just happens to be the guy who is going against Nathan. Look to the Party’s own press release on how donations skyrocketed, not based on Carl, but based on when Nathan went Indy and the Republican establishment freaked out. I wonder how much of the cash is from out of county donors who are worried about Nathan changing the political game in California?
“I wonder how much of the cash is from out of county donors who are worried about Nathan changing the political game in California?”
That’s some of the best spin I’ve seen written, Chevy Sam. For a moment, I actually envisioned a smoky, back-room in Sacramento, filled with life-sized Monopoly men, with looks of horror on their faces…and then, I realized that Fletcher controls that smoky back room.
Bravo, though.
I want to expand upon my earlier comment to you, Chevy Sam. My take at what you’re seeing, with the DeMaio endorsement and subsequent Fletcher tantrum, is a microcosm of the changing Republican Party. It’s a grassroots-driven revolt, of which we’ll see more.
2010 empowered the limited government wing of the GOP.. We elected a wave of fiscally-conservative politicians.. So when I see the Fletcher campaign suggest that DeMaio is going to turn San Diego into the “Wisconsin of the West”, I just chuckle because I see the remarkable results Governor Walker’s reform plan produced,
Mr Steel won my respect at the Fall 2011 CRP convention. He stood in front of 500 people, who think like me ,and said “as long as he’s involved with the CRP, we will be welcome.” I can disagree with a guy but respect him for encouraging the debate.
My previously sarcastic comment was childish. I should have thanked you for speaking the truth; Fletcher’s bolt empowered the local activists and reminded us that those in power, and those who do it’s bidding, will fight to keep it. We’re just going to have to fight harder.
I hope you stick with the Republican Party ,Chevy Sam. It’s being restored to the party of big ideas again and I want to have rigorous debate about the role of government in our lives. I’ll speak in bold colors and invite you to do the same.