An Important Voice from California

The defeated Republican candidate for mayor of San Diego, Carl DeMaio, offers his party some advice. A generation ago, San Diego was a Republican town: Senator and Governor Pete Wilson began his career as mayor. DeMaio lost 49-51 - a narrow margin that was itself an incredible achievement in a city where registered Republicans rank third after Independents.

Hear and heed DeMaio:

Commit to making government work again: Californians like government, and voters want government to work again. Too often, Republicans have taken an "end it, don't mend it" stance. …

Move beyond "no" and offer real solutions. Independent voters in particular want solutions, not partisan fights. Republicans have consistently voted against tax increases and regulatory mandates, but rarely have offered credible solutions as alternatives. …

Become a party of inclusion: Californians have become ethnically and socially diverse – with exit polling showing only 54 percent of the 2012 electorate was white. Latino votes surged from 18 percent in 2008 to 22 percent in 2012. The Republican Party, through sins of omission and commission, has alienated Latinos, Blacks and gays – and they've virtually ignored Asian Americans. …

Court the next generation: The California electorate is becoming younger with each election cycle, and Republicans have done an abysmal job winning these new votes.

By the way … DeMaio is a gay Republican - a sign that the work of inclusion has at least begun.

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David Frum

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