California Republican Leaders Pledge to Bring Back ‘The California Promise’

“Unlike others who duck promises and campaign in other states…” began Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher at a rally Wednesday morning at the Capitol announcing Republicans’ “The California Promise” He enumerated the many serious issues Californians are feeling, including the high cost of living in California, rising crime, criminals released early, rapidly expanding homeless encampments, highest-in-the-nation gas prices, high food costs, water shortages, wildfires, the failing education system…

“We want to put kids first – 68% of kids can’t read at grade level.”

“Californians deserve better. We can have a California safe to live in,” Gallagher said.

“The California Promise starts with electing new leaders,” Gallagher said. “We are the party of ideas and solutions.”

California Republican leaders and candidates from the California State Senate and Assembly unveiled The California Promise, a pledge promoting a better vision for the Golden State ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

Assembly and Senate lawmakers, candidates, Republican Party leaders and supporters held a press conference outside the State Capitol addressing that under Democrats’ failed one-party rule, the California Dream is slipping away for most Californians. Gallagher said by highlighting the most important issues impacting the California people and the state, and showing the Republican solutions, The California Promise aims to get the state back on track.

With The California Promise, Republicans aim to deliver:

• An Affordable California
• A Safe California
• A Quality Education
• A Solution for Homelessness
• A Reliable Water Supply
• A Fire Safe California

“The Republican ‘California Promise’ is our covenant with the people to deliver meaningful results to all Californians,” said Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk. “The Democrat supermajority always delivers for the special interests but ignores California’s many challenges. If voters give us an opportunity, we will lead with common-sense solutions to benefit everyone.”

“Democrats spent $17 billion of your tax dollars on homelessness,” and we only have more of it, Gallagher said. “Republicans offered 17 separate legislative solutions, but the Democrats said ‘No.'”

In March, Senate and Assembly Republican lawmakers introduced “ACT on Homelessness (Accountability, Compassion and Treatment),” a multi-faceted legislative package to address homelessness where and how it will make a difference, the Globe reported.

Even with the 17 proposed bills, nothing has changed except there are more homeless encampments throughout the state. “What Democrats have done over the last decade just is not working. It’s an enablement strategy. Ours is an empowerment strategy, to give people the tools and the resources to get off of these streets,” Gallagher said in March. “The Democratic policies keep those people on the street.

The 17 bills were either killed in committee or stalled in committees and shelved by Democrats.

“We will act to fix things, and we have solutions,” Gallagher said.

“Common sense is not common practice,” Sen. Wilk said. He talked of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “sleight of hand,” and said, “We believe in the invisible hand of supply and demand,” as opposed to “Democrats who never found a tax they didn’t like.”

“We asked for a gas tax holiday and got ‘No’ from the Democrats,” Wilk said.

“Talk is cheap but gas is not.”

Assembly Candidate Josh Hoover, who is also a school board member of the Folsom Cordova
Unified School District, addressed how the state’s failing schools are failing our children. “California is 50th in literacy,” Hoover said. “It’s time to shake up education special interests by expanding pathways for all students.”

Hoover addressed how far behind and how many instruction weeks were lost by California’s public school students after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s school shut downs during Covid.

Assembly Candidate Joe Patterson, a father of four, discussed the wave of illegal drugs in the schools. He had to tell two of his children to never take any drug unless it is given to them by their parents or by the family doctor. He’s talking about Fentanyl, which is often disguised to look like candy.

Patterson also noted that far too many Republican bills are never even heard, much less debated in committees. “We are asking that you vote for Republicans,” Patterson said.

CAGOP Central Valley Vice Chair Corrin Rankin spoke about the party’s commitment to energize and engage with voters on these real life issues, which voters are concerned about.

Boomer Bennett, Founder and Student Director at JesusFollowr University, spoke at the end. “I grew up in a California that incentivized not having a husband in the household – being a father was optional,” he said. Now Bennett is a husband, father and business owner. “Why?” he asked. “I stopped believing in the Left. I gave Conservatism a chance. I gave Republicans a chance.”

Indicating the Republican leaders and candidates standing behind him, Bennett said, “These people are tested and will stand up against giants.”

“We want to cut your cost of living, and not just your gas prices,” Gallagher added. “We’re here in California, not in Texas, New York or Florida because California has serious problems.”

With all of the discussion at the press conference about failing schools, high crime, high cost of living, high taxes, and high gas prices, a reporter asked, “Can you talk about abortion and how it fits into the California Promise?”

Assemblyman Gallagher told her that abortion law is not going to change in California, and that the issues people are discussing and actually suffering under in California are the high cost of living, high gas prices, high food prices, rapidly expanding homeless encampments and open drug use despite the $17 billion Democrats already have spent on expensive housing at $800,000 per unit.

A second reporter chimed in on abortion, claiming, “polling shows Proposition 1 is bringing people out to vote.”

Gallagher rebutted her claim: “Polls show the number #1 issue is the cost of living. They’re tired of political rhetoric,” Gallagher said. “They’re having discussions about real issues – these are the things we will be focused on.”

Because Democrats can’t run on their record, they and the media are promoting abortion as the issue du jour.

“Let’s hold hearings where the public can come and ask questions, and where media can actually ask him [the governor] questions.”

Gallagher added, “We are showing you a different way.”