"Right On Daily" was Right on the Social Issues

Aaron Park, the Vice President of the California Republican Assembly, slammed the CA GOP ground game soundly in a blog post following the too many to count near misses in California following the 2014 GOP Shellacknado.

Aaron F. Park (aka "The RINO")

Why did the 2014 Wave Miss California? Hint, it WAS those Damn Social Issues (Again)

Click on the link above to get the whole scoop. I will add a few points here.

I submit that there are no mere social issues, but all political matters are moral issues.

The breakdown of the family is a costly matter for the state, because of the increased demands placed on public assistance and government social work. No matter how loving and caring a bureaucrat may be, nothing can replace the loving attention of two parents, or one diligent parent in the home.

Gun control is an economic policy, and a failed on. Removing the right of self-preservation from homeowners, and watch property and moral crimes skyrocket. Nothing is more costly to a community than crime.

Life matters, and it is a biological fact, not just a religious sentiment. Abortion is

Congressman Cory Gardner of Colorado did not run away from his pro-life views, even though the Centennial State was a purple state going light blue. The Denver Post endorsed Gardner, in spite of his pro-life views. Exit polls showed that voters considered themselves pro-choice two-to-one, yet the voted for Pro-Life Cory.

All over the country, men and women were looking for leaders who stood their ground on moral issues. In California, a clear distinction between left and right would have made the difference, yet many candidates pandered to the center, or alienated voters on the right. The worst example of this, former San Diego Councilman and Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio. Not that I want to invest in the circular firing squad, but when a Republican candidate is so offensive, that conservatives actively endorse the incumbent Democrat, party leaders need to face the fact: Carl sucked.

Here are some other comments from Park's post worth perusing:

I spoke to a Republican Consultant with connections all over the Country who told me that the big money was staying out of California or was withdrawing from California. This conversation was in Mid-September. The money people made a conscious decision to withdraw from California.

Ouch! Tough love hurts, but there it is. I have spoken with top CA GOP brass, too, and they have told me the same thing. National Republicans gave up on California after 2000, with George W. Bush's first run for President. He did better in 2004, losing the Golden State by fewer points, but why invest millions into expensive advertising in a state where a Republican Presidential contender doesn't have a snowpack's chance in the Sierra Nevada?

In addition – many of these moderate candidates for various reasons were not able to unify their base. Doug Ose, Jeff Gorrell and Carl DiMaio received millions in support. They all lost – Ose by the slimmest of margins.

Yes, Yes, Yes! There were a few Republicans in California who made it a priority to unify the Center and the Right in their respective districts, and they won: Assemblymembers Catharine Baker and David Hadley.

Assemblyman David Hadley (R-Torrance)

Catharine of the East Bay area was socially more liberally, but she did not advertise it. Chinese-American voters loved Catharine because she cared about education. Local media and limited government reforms, and some Democrats (like Orinda Mayor Steve Glazer) applauded her opposition to public sector unions. Baker was a uniter, not a divider, and all on substantive policies.

As for David Hadley, every time he discussed his campaign, and later his victory, he first informed/reminded his audience: "I united the center-right". This issue of unity is crucial. Why other Republican candidates have failed to take this important principle to heart is disconcerting, to say the least. Neel Kashkari practically poked social "conservatives" in the eye when he marched in gay pride parades, then championed Governor Brown for not appealing the overturn of Prop 8. A majority of Californians in an Obama year voted to define marriage as between one man and one woman. How could Kashkari run from that?

However, four Conservatives running in races that were not regarded as top-tier did almost as well as the leading moderates did (all out performed DiMaio) with little or no funding! These would be Chris Mitchum, Dan Logue, Tony Amador and Paul Chabot. All four were unabashed social conservatives and all performed as well as other socially liberal candidates who were fully funded.

Johnny Tacherra

These are great points. Chris Mitchum should have defeated Lois Capps. She is a fossil of the House who has done very little. Her latest remarks about gun control make her sound incoherent or incompetent. Chris ran as a true conservative, and with a little more funding would have made it over the edge. This post forgot to mention Johnny Tacherra of Fresno, whom Breitbart had identified as a credible threat against Jim Costa. The Dairy Farmer may be able to unseat Costa in 2016 if the right candidate dominates the GOP ticket.

For more information, visit VP Park's blog post here.