Farewell Tour for CAGOP Chairwoman Jessica Patterson

The California Republican Party just elected Corrin Rankin as its new chairwoman. Despite some dirty rumors and tactics, Rankin garnered 747 votes ahead of the 559 for former State Senator Mike Morrell.

“Change is coming to California. It’s time to end the Democratic Party rule and make California great again,” Rankin said following her election. In an interview with Eytan Wallace. She immediately differentiated herself from Patterson saying she hopes people look beyond her race and gender. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman or what color your skin is or what your background is, as long as you are qualified for the role.” She said we need to look past skin color and instead focus on qualifications and results. The interview is worth watching.

From Corrin Rankin’s bio:

“Growing up in Menlo Park, Corrin Rankin started working at a young age in her father’s bail bonds business, which he founded in 1968. She would later take over the family business after working for almost a decade with some of Silicon Valley’s leading tech companies.

In 2016, Corrin served as an on-air surrogate for the Trump for President campaign and as a whip for Mr. Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. As the 2016 statewide coalition director for African Americans for Trump, Corrin was at the outset of a movement that would propel Donald Trump to the White House in 2016 and again in 2024.

Corrin was elected as California Republican Party Central Valley Vice Chair in 2021.

Elected as California Republican Party Vice Chair in 2023, Corrin has spent the last two years traveling throughout California, assisting with voter registration, fundraising, supporting Republican candidates, and growing the party. She also served as a national surrogate for President Trump’s 2024 campaign, ensuring that Republican values and conservative principles continue to gain ground in the state.

Corrin knows that the future of the California Republican Party depends on results, not rhetoric. By applying her private-sector problem-solving approach, she is committed to replicating the Central Valley’s successful Republican model statewide. Her vision is clear: build an organization that doesn’t just react but proactively builds a pathway to victory for Republicans up and down the ballot.

“Results, not rhetoric” is something everyone is eager for.

Outgoing California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Patterson is taking credit again for registering 1 million new California Republicans to vote. The credit goes to Ric Grenell and Fix California.

But that didn’t stop Patterson this weekend at her personal farewell tour at the CAGOP Convention.

At a Saturday morning meeting she held with members of the press, Patterson said she “registered over 1 million Republicans since 2019.”

The real story is that since 2021, Ric Grenell, former Ambassador to Germany, former Director of National Intelligence, and President Donald Trump’s Presidential Envoy for Special Missions, has been diligently working on a long term plan to “Fix California,” identifying and registering unregistered conservative voters in the one-party Democrat Supermajority state of California, the Globe reported in August.

“Fix California is committed to pursuing longterm solutions that advance conservative ideas and causes throughout the state,” Grenell told the Globe in 2021 when he first launched Fix California. The Globe has been reporting on Fix California since Grenell first launched it.

In August, we reported on Rob Pyers’ amazement at the increase in Republican registrations. Piers, Research Director for the non-partisan California Target Book, posted on X:

As for Patterson’s farewell tour and her final convention as CAGOP Chairwoman, she addressed media with a prepared speech touting her accomplishments. But Patterson’s recollection differs from reality.

The CAGOP 2025 Spring Convention was dull – there was no electricity, no excitement, no joy. “It was amazing how all of the joy was sucked out of the convention, and the Trump momentum lost – as if that’s what they wanted,” a political friend and I discussed. There were fewer vendors, fewer booths, leaving the convention hall looking underwhelming.

Patterson squandered the Trump election momentum. That’s takes some planning.

I have been told by many Republicans since Patterson was first elected CAGOP Chairwoman that she despises Donald Trump. It was evident at this convention. And there was a lot of talk among attendees and delegates about this.

Even in California, more Republicans voted for Donald Trump than ever. This should have been an easy convention to plan for with the excitement and hopefulness and momentum throughout the country over Trump’s win – and to capitalize on. But it was not. There was very little joy – other than the Trump supporters.

But Patterson is not alone. There is a large contingent within the party who have such Trump Derangement Syndrome they could not bring themselves to even vote for party resolutions supporting his positions on the border, fentanyl, deportations, etc…

Patterson sucked the life from the lunch event Saturday featuring Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-TX). It wasn’t a talk from Congressman Gonzalez, but instead a Q & A between Patterson and Gonzalez, with much of the conversation about Latino voters.

She popped in to various meetings to talk about her accomplishments.

“She walked in to the community engagement session which Corrin was leading with three lawmakers, and took 10 min about all of her supposed wins. They had to divide their remaining time,” another delegate shared with the Globe.

She played videos of herself. IMG_1953: “Best money can buy!” a delegate told the Globe.

There were very few college Republicans. The cost to attend the events were exorbitant – and no student rates were offered other than for registration.

• Friday Dinner Photo Reception (includes photo with speaker)* – $325
• Friday Dinner Banquet – General Admission – $200
• Friday Photo Reception/Dinner Package (includes photo reception and general admission banquet ticket) – $500
• Saturday Lunch Photo Reception (includes photo with speaker)* – $325
• Saturday Lunch Banquet – General Admission – $200
• Saturday Photo Reception/Lunch Package (includes photo reception and general admission banquet ticket) – $500
• Saturday Dinner Photo Reception (includes photo with speaker)* – $375
• Saturday Dinner Banquet – General Admission – $300
• Saturday Dinner Banquet – Priority Seating – $375
• Saturday Photo Reception/Dinner Package (includes photo reception and general admission banquet ticket) – $650
• Sunday Prayer Breakfast – $100

This flyer was on each chair Sunday before the vote, addressing Jessica Patterson’s record, attempting to tie Corrin Rankin to her:

“Lost 3 huge elections; claimed grassroots victories she never fought for; is now pretending to be on the parental rights band-wagon; did not and will not protect the platform,” the flyer said.

Yet, this is the some of the record Patterson claimed to media on Saturday:

• More Reps in CA now than during Schwarzenegger admin’ – No accident.
• Ballot harvesting – 35k last election 
• Raised 122M for party
• 100K small donations
• Data transition – 2500 campaigns using CAGOP data
• 1800 media mentions 2024
• Brought CA trailblazers in house – candidate dev program founded in 2011
• Pres Trump shifted every district win 2024
• Flipped blue counties to red
• Congressional races in 2024 helped 
• Legislature picked up 3 seats last year – first time since 1980
• Ballot initiatives – really focused on them – 2020 won 64%; 67% 2022; 89% 2024
• Road to house majority will come through CA
• Can party sustain in DC – JP I am here to help with that. 
• Speaker McCarthy was biggest fundraiser here in CA
• Trump voters – 2M more people voted for Trump in 2020 that stayed home for the recall. We need to make sure we are motivating Trump voters. 
• We turned out 80% of newly registered Republicans. Will be interested to see what the Trump team does to help to hold on to the House and Senate. 
• You grow house through CA and NY.
• Said in 2019 we would show up in communities that had been neglected by Republican Party – showed up to farms and talked to farm workers. 
• When asked about Trump railing on DEI programs, she said “I don’t have concerns about it, and actually appreciate it. I walk into room I want people to know I am there not because I’m a Latina but because I earned it.”  

Self-aggrandizement is déclassé.

As a delegate told the Globe, “CAGOP attendees could see through all of it – they do not want a party with a leader who pats her own back on false claims. This was a convention of what not to do for the incoming Chairwoman.”

Make California great again. “And make CAGOP conventions fun again.”

Read Corrin Rankin’s bio here.