California Senator Tony Strickland Sworn in – Again

Senator Tony Strickland was sworn in to the California State Senate Tuesday morning. It was more like a homecoming as this isn’t Strickland’s first rodeo – he was a member of the California State Senate District 19 from 2008 until 2012. He was also a state assemblyman representing the 37th district from 1998 to 2004.

After his swearing in, Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones addressed the new and old Senator Tony Strickland, and welcomed new Sen. Strickland. “It’s a pretty awesome day here in the California Senate. And, we are back to 10 members!”

“Strickland’s return adds to the growing number of California Republican Party successes across the state in the past several months,” the Globe reported last week. “In November, Republicans managed to flip Assembly seats for the first time in a Presidential election year since 1992 and in the Senate, the state saw the first presidential year Senate seat flip since 1980. They gained 3 seats in the legislature in November, and earlier this month, managed to keep an Assembly seat within the fold following Stan Ellis’ Assembly victory last week. Strickland’s victory keeps the Senate GOP total in the double digits and remains close to breaking up the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento.”

“I’m back, and it’s an incredible privilege to be here,” Senator Strickland said. “27 years ago I was first sworn into the California Legislature.”

Following his time in the Senate, Strickland was a member of the city council of Huntington Beach from 2022 to 2025 and was mayor of Huntington Beach from 2022 to 2023.

Once the Mayor of Huntington Beach, Strickland said he has extensive local government experience, together with his 10 years legislative experience.

“We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable,” Sen. Strickland said. “You can fight on certain issues but find common ground on others. I am bringing common sense back here in California – especially when more people are worried “This is the first time since the gold rush people are leaving the state. They are moving to the hot desert in Texas and Arizona, freezing in Idaho, and humid Florida.”

Strickland assured the audience that he will always put public safety first. And he addressed the “disaster” in Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Every year governor Newson has been here he’s raised the gas tax,” Strickland said. “People have to choose between a gallon of milk and a gallon of gas.”

“Gavin Newsom has been a disaster for California. While he has been governor, our taxes have gone up and the homeless population has exploded. Housing is more expensive than ever and employers are fleeing the state. Crime is up, schools are failing and basic infrastructure is deteriorating.”

Sen. Strickland acknowledged that the EV market serves the wealthy in California. “Not everyone can afford a $45,000 electric car. And if everyone who has an electric car plugged it in, we wouldn’t have enough electricity.”

“And I believe in all-of-the-above energy.”

“Los Angeles was build around the automobile. A lot of hardworking families need a car to get to their job – I am going to tackle the gas tax.”

A member of the media asked Senator Strickland if  “attacking” Governor Gavin Newsom as he’s polling above 50%, is as effective in deep purple districts.

Strickland did not shy away from the snarky question: “Yes. I ran against Governor  Newsom’s policies.”

“We don’t have better services but spend 3x times as much,” he said.

“I go into areas that aren’t used to hearing our talk – our philosophy. I taught at USC and taught students that raising the minimum wage cuts jobs and opportunities for young people.”

Strickland said he seeks out common ground with other lawmakers.

“I believe that this caucus is going to grow in the next few years.”

Leader Jones -noted that voters are fed up with policies coming out of the Capitol building, which is why Gov. Newsom launched his new podcast, to reform the debate, rather than the issues.

Sen. Suzette Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) worked with Tony Strickland on the ground game back in Santa Clarita when he ran for Senate the first time. “I haven’t been this excited about double digits since I was 10,” she said.

“My district voted for Trump,” she said. “We are seeing a movement – a shift – a clear mandate from voters issues of public safety, affordability.”

Valladares said she is even hearing colleagues talking about issues over affordability.

Senator Steven Choi, the first Senate Republican to defeat a Democrat incumbent in a Presidential general election since 1980, wanted to set the record straight: “I was the 10th originally. Now he claims my title of stature. With the special election, he gets all of the attention,” Choi said to laughter.

As the Globe reported when Strickland announced his Senate victory, “I will push to get back to the basics of government. We’re going to do everything we can to make crime illegal again. California doesn’t have a revenue problem. California has a spending problem. We will do whatever we can to DOGE government. Today’s the day we take our state back and today’s the first step into making California golden again.”