California Republicans strategize about upcoming redistricting special election at annual convention

Republicans across the state came together over the weekend for the California Republican Party’s annual convention with one issue top of mind for many: to defeat Proposition 50, the Democrat-led redistricting measure that’s appearing on the Nov. 4 ballot.

With only about a month left before ballots land in voters’ mailboxes, it’s a sprint for both supporters and opponents of Prop. 50 to get their messages out about why California should or should not redraw its congressional maps mid-cycle.

Republicans, who oppose Prop. 50, called it the Democrats’ way of “rigging” elections and said much is at stake.

If Republicans give up congressional seats in California, it will be difficult for the party to keep control of the House, Shawn Steel, a Republican National Committee member, said during a panel discussion at the CAGOP convention at the Hyatt Regency in Orange County on Saturday, Sept. 6.

“That big loss is going to mean Democratic domination, not only through (President Donald) Trump’s second half of the administration … but it’s going to set up Republicans in a bad way,” Steel said.

Democrats, meanwhile, have touted the redistricting effort as a way to counter similar gerrymandering in Texas, where, at the president’s request, the state’s Republican leadership is seeking to shore up more GOP congressional seats.

But Will O’Neill, chair of the Republican Party of Orange County, told those gathered at the weekend convention to talk to their friends, family and neighbors about the “absurd” scenarios that would occur back in California if the proposed congressional maps were enacted.

For example, O’Neill said, in the 42nd Congressional District — now represented by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach — the boundary lines would change to lump in Orange County’s Newport Beach, a more conservative voter base, with the more liberal Long Beach in L.A. County – “because when you think of Newport Beach, you think Robert Garcia,” he said to laughs.

Mark Meuser, an attorney with Dhillon Law Group, which has filed two unsuccessful lawsuits on behalf of Republicans challenging Democrats’ redistricting efforts in California, said during the session that his firm is prepared to file another lawsuit — and to take the case to the Supreme Court — should voters approve Prop. 50.

He said his firm will also seek to stop the new maps from taking effect should voters pass Prop. 50 until the constitutionality of the new district lines is determined in court.

“If the voters vote yes (on Nov. 4), guess where I’m going to be on the 5th?” Meuser said.

“We will be in front of a three-judge panel here in the state of California. And if that three-judge panel does not give us an immediate injunction, we will be on the rocket docket straight to the Supreme Court … asking them to enjoin the new district lines,” he said.

With much at stake, political observers expect the special November redistricting election to cost about $250 million as campaigns make a mad dash to win over voters.

Noting that there are just 58 days until the election, Steel said the way to win is through grassroots efforts and urged those in attendance to do their part to get voters to pay attention.

“We need to awaken our base, and that’s how Trump did it. He had to flip seven states … and he was trying to say, ‘Get out of bed and get to work.’ And that’s what we have to do. This is that kind of election,” Steel said.

“This is a big deal. This is the future of our party,” he added.