CAGOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson at the 2023 CAGOP Convention (Photo: Evan Symon for California Globe)
With Kevin McCarthy Gone, is Jessica Patterson’s Job as CA GOP Chair on Shaky Ground?
‘CAGOP leadership are completely beholden to the ‘McCarthy Mafia’ and have kept everyone in line because they control the flow of money’
By Katy Grimes, October 4, 2023 3:46 pm
With California Congressman Kevin McCarthy voted out as House Speaker Tuesday, GOP tongues are wagging in the Golden State, questioning whether California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Patterson is on shaky ground given her close ties with the now-former Speaker.
“Jessica Patterson has always been more in tune with Washington DC than Riverside,” a California GOP member told the Globe. “She’s worked harder for Kevin McCarthy to be speaker than she has at her current job. She’s turned the state in to a campaign stop for politicians from outside California.”
Some longtime GOP Party members say the party was already showing signs of collapse, and particularly now after the Fall CAGOP Convention in Anaheim over the past weekend.
“To get Jessica Patterson started, the McCarthy for Congress campaign donated $250,000 to the Jessica Patterson for CRP Chair campaign,” GOP stalwart Stephen Frank told the Globe. “From the start, she represented McCarthy, not the Republican Party. With McCarthy out of leadership, her future has also been damaged. Instead of a cushy job with the NRCC or the NRC, she is now on her own. A McCarthy letter of support will no longer cover her efforts to close down the California Republican Party.”
Some say the California Republican Party was saved when Jim Brulte took over as Chairman in 2013 (to 2019 when Patterson was elected). Others say that is when the cracks turned into deep crevasses. The Party was in significant debt and Brulte came with funds attached to pay it off… but at a steep price. One by one, the CAGOP conservatives were removed from party committee assignments, leadership positions, even central committee positions, and the like. It was no secret. And it has continued to today, many Republicans report.
Shortly thereafter, the CAGOP platform began a shift from a focus on California State Republican races to congressional races. And then the focus became Washington D.C. almost exclusively. GOP Assembly and Senate candidates were left to flail about on their own, and told as much when they made inquiries for funding and support from the CAGOP. Several state candidates told the Globe that when they asked for help from the CAGOP they were told “win your primary first, then come see us.” Even congressional candidates say they were snubbed if they weren’t part of the “in-crowd.”
So the “collapse” has been like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Rather than fill the party and keep it nourished with the “A” Team elected Republicans, and growing and cultivating plenty of candidates for future elected offices, Washington D.C. appears to have been the focus – the entire focus… as if someone was really focused on a job there.
So much has this focus shifted that at the convention last weekend the CAGOP Initiative Committee failed to manage a NO vote on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $6 billion homeless bond initiative. So the message from the State Republican Party is “we’re neutral” on a $6 billion bond, a gift of slush funds to Gov. Gavin Newsom should it pass.
The bond measure of Newsom’s, totaling closer to $6.4 billion, claims that it is the only way to address California’s mentally-ill homeless population, because of a current shortage of mental health treatment facilities and actual beds. We are told the money will be used to pay for 10,000 treatment beds and supportive housing units, CalMatters reported.
“It is startling to me that the California Republican Party is ambivalent and neutral on a $6 billion homeless bond measure by Gov. Gavin Newsom, turning it into his wish list of crap and wasteful spending,” said Jon Fleischman, Flash Report Publisher and former CAGOP Executive Director.
One CAGOP member told the Globe that because Jessica Patterson has locked up committee positions with her acolytes, i.e.her “yes” people who wait for her to direct them on the issues, when it came time to debate and discuss the governor’s $6 billion bond in committee, she was busy and hadn’t prepped them so they didn’t know how to vote on it. That is when they came up with “no recommendation,” all on their own. Imagine a “No recommendation” from the CAGOP on a $6 billion bond initiative by the most leftist governor in California history.
There was a time when the CAGOP was in agreement that pretty much all statewide bond initiatives were a NO vote.
Another startling upcoming issue is the Spring 2024 CAGOP convention – scheduled March 1-3, just days ahead of the March 5th California Primary Election. So while candidates and elected politicians need to be getting out the vote to get as many GOP candidates into the top two positions, while canvasing for supporters, the state Party will be conventioning… rather than helping candidates and incumbents. “This is not a unifying event,” another longtime CAGOP member said. “People need to be out walking precincts – not at a convention.”
Another GOP member who asked to remain anonymous had this to say: “California’s GOP Legislative leadership and the CAGOP leadership are completely beholden to the ‘McCarthy Mafia’ and thus they have been able to keep everyone in line because they control the flow of money, to candidates and the infrastructure. Without that pipeline of money and influence, there may not be much ability to keep people in line. Especially after what happened at the CAGOP Convention over the weekend, the inmates may be taking over the asylum and the establishment will have no way to stop it. Without McCarthy’s backing of political and financial support, I’m not sure how long the house of cards can remain standing. And Jessica can kiss the idea of going back to DC to take over the RNC from Ronna McDaniel goodbye.”
Then there is the CAGOP rule change in the Presidential Primary which sets up a “winner-take-all” 169 California delegates. It used to be a “winner-take-most” per congressional district – the top vote getter who received above the 50% threshold was awarded 2 delegates and the second place vote getter received 1 delegate, a CAGOP delegate told the Globe.
Under the rule change pushed by McCarthy and Patterson, according to several CAGOP members, a Republican presidential candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in the Primary Election will receive all 169 delegates. If no candidate receives over the 50% mark, delegates will be awarded proportionally.
Yahoo reported on the rule change just ahead of the CAGOP convention last weekend:
When the change was adopted in late July, state party Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson predicted it would lure GOP presidential candidates to California to campaign, drive turnout and make the state relevant in picking the party’s 2024 nominee.
But others believe it has had the opposite effect, stifling competition in a state where buying media advertising across half a dozen markets comes at a huge, prohibitive cost. The vastness of the state, home to nearly 1-in-8 Americans, makes it hard to get to all the regions. The previous guidelines encouraged candidates to target specific districts — now, one candidate can collect them all.
“The effect of the change has been to effectively terminate the Republican primary in California,” said conservative activist Jon Fleishman, a former executive director of the state GOP.
Several of the CAGOP delegates agreed that because of the cost of campaigning around the vast state of California, we won’t see many Republican presidential candidates at all now.
“She’s good at raising money, but where is it going? Where is it being allocated?” a CAGOP delegate said. “There’s a disconnect with the Central Committees, which are dominated by grassroots – they don’t like bureaucracies. She’s lost touch with Central Committees and grassroots Republicans.”
According to a delegate, Jessica Patterson is paid $250,000, and received a $25,000 bonus from the Board after the 2022 midterms, even after losing a Senate race and one Assembly race.
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Well, perhaps McCarthy’s ouster WILL have a benefit to Republicans in California after all, IF it means a change at the top of the CAGOP.
No kidding, Raymond —– this is definitely one of the huge benefits of tossing Kevin McCarthy as leader. So much good information in Katy Grimes’ article that I’m sure many of us didn’t even know because FINALLY turned our eyes completely away from the CAGOP (in disgust and frustration) as having become a useless and counterproductive organization. Disgust so deep that we didn’t even want to know the reason for the collapse —- not with so many problems in the state and leadership that just hauled in half a million bucks. Really? For what?
But never mind, it’s not a secret, is it, that we desperately need a strong, vital, and effective CAGOP to dig us out of this hole that we should NOT be in. Support for and selection of candidates, engagement with the local committees, clubs, and individual voters, voter registration drives, precinct walking pushes and organization, and all the rest of the traditional stuff HAS to start happening again. Otherwise what we’re left with is a ragtag team of disorganized and unsupported people trying desperately to do what is supposed to be CAGOP’s job. We need brand new leadership and I so hope this will be the opportunity to make it happen.
Dare I mention that I am currently gathering signatures for a run for our local County’s Republican Central Committee. I’m not sure how this will play out, but I am excited about the opportunity.
Good Luck Hal!
We need thoughtful, common sense and intelligent people to right the ship.
That’s great! Best of luck Hal.
Yes, Showandtell. Earlier this year we had someone on this forum who was a former conservative member of the CAGOP hierarchy; talking about how conservatives had been pushed out. The question is how to get conservatives back into the CAGOP leadership. What it comes down to is money – money talks. My idea was to have the RNC send a portion of donations made to the national organization back to the local organizations through the state organization (CAGOP). If Republicans understand that their donations (small and large) to the national group also helps their own state and local groups, it facilitates fund raising at all levels. I believe this would result in the national donations increasing which in turn increases funds for state and, most importantly, the local (city and county) Republican groups. I think people like Charlie Kirk (Turning Point USA) were trying to push for something like this in the RNC but…..well, you have Ronna McDaniel there. So, that’s why I just donate directly to candidates – not a dime to CAGOP or RNC.
Let’s hope so…
Dump her ass – she’s worthless….kinda like Ronna…
Agree, change is needed.
The time for a shakeup is now.
We need viable candidates for the Senate seat and for Governor!
Speaker McCarthy did not deliver and did not stay true to his word. He just might be better at fundraising than being in a leadership role.
As a political junkie and observer I think the apple tree needs a good shake to sift the rotten fruit from the good. I want leaders that are willing to fight for our constitutional republic not for the lobbyists and oligarchs.
As for Jessica Milan Patterson, just what has she delivered?
Patterson would not be missed she is nothing special. Truth be told she’s a token Latina and little more. She has failed to even properly challenge ballot harvesting in the courts in this state and she has got her but kicked by the Dems. She’s not the one for this job is the reality.
California Republican Party Chair Jessica Millan Patterson and the rest of the traitorous RINOs have helped make California’s GOP irrelevant and impotent? Mission accomplished on behalf of their deep-state globalist uniparty masters?
Actually, the betrayal of the Republican voters in California started back in the early 2000’s when Republicans agreed to the status quo of power which had previously created “safe” seats for both Democrats and Republicans. Instead of trying to win in the battlefield of ideas the Republicans settled for “safe” seats. The democrats did what they do best and exploited this opportunity to gain power and have continually whittled away at Republican “safe” seats. Jungle primary mess of 2022. The Republicans in the race thought that they were going to win, and all ended up losing to a democrat in a “sake” Republican seat. Democrats will continue to exploit this trick. Ms. Patterson is simply practicing status quo politics that was put in place decades ago by politicians that have long sense left the scene. Republicans need to come up with policies that Californias actually want and desire and stick to that message. We need candidates that do not have political baggage that can be exploited and be taken off message. Lastly the CAGOP party is going to have to support the best overall candidate and recommend them without prejudice given for popularity or societal status. In order to win the Republicans have to put the best ideas forward period full stop.
The Democrat party never had a better ally than the Republican establishment.
@CW gets a YATZEE!
If there really was a strategy to focus on House seats, it worked great. California flipped the House for the Republicans. Gaetz is just MAGA craziness taken to its next level. The Trump attack on Ronald Reagan, the Reagan Library and Reagan Legacy came out for all to see. This week will be for Republicans what the 1968 Convention was for the Democrats: a demonstration of a party at war with itself that would go on to lose five of the next six presidential elections.
Trump attacked Ronald Reagan, Reagan Library and Reagan Legacy? LOL! You sound like a deep-state establishment RINO who is completely delusional!
Oh @KeithCurry, I think you may want to turn off MSNBC.
MAGA craziness….
Trump disses Ronald Reagan?
Seriously?
I think the RINO’s are the ones who trashed Ronald Reagan’s legacy, with promoting forever wars, allowing the border to be wide open and encouraging the labor to be diluted with low wage workers…
And yes morphing into a uniparty!
BTW, Ronald Reagan made mistakes as well, such as amnesty.
Staying silent is no way to govern! The RiNO’s went along to get along!
Many politicians on both sides of the aisle sold this country out!
America First is what is needed to heal this country. It is time to shake the tree of liberty.
Thanks for the laugh!
I’d love to see California Republicans get together and figure out how we get rid of this “jungle primary” mess that guarantees we NEVER elect a Republican Gov and fewer Republican representatives.
I’d also like NOT to be snubbed because we’re not part of the “in-crowd.”
CAGOP remains stuck in the *Elite Grand Elite Old Elite Party” while us conservative
rural po’folk are mute without interpreters.
The CA GOP is an absolute embarrassment. They have no clue on how to market the Republican Party. All you have to do is look at their lame website. When was that designed, 1985? They can’t get anyone to convert from Democrat to Republican. They have no message.
A major overhaul of the CA GOP is LONG OVERDUE.
How can anyone reduce the 75% demo-rat majority in the legislature with the way gruesome wants to count the votes?
Re: Candidates who didn’t get money from the party- perhaps they should try raising their own and running a real campaign instead of expecting a check for a vanity run
Let’s see if Jessica gets the message…