As the California primary election draws near (June 2) there is increasing speculation that the result will be two Republican candidates for governor come November. Depending on party affiliation the feeling is either great anticipation or deep concern. As an avowed centrist my thought is that this may not be the worst outcome for either the state or the country.
There are two Republican candidates and as many as eight Democrats, not one of which has ignited the electorate as a clear front-runner. Personally, only San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has sparked even the slightest interest.
Both the state Senate and Assembly are dominated by Democrats and that is almost certain to continue even after November, so having a Republican governor would actually bring some much-needed balance to state government. The question for me is, which of these two Republicans is the least Trump-like? He would unquestionably be my preference.
At the national level it is increasingly looking like the Democrats are going to retake the House in spite of Trump’s manipulative efforts to gerrymander districts in Texas and other states. In fact, that action may backfire, giving the Democrats an even bigger margin in the House than expected. And although still unlikely, there are growing signs that the Democrats could pull off an upset and regain a very slight majority in the Senate.
If both of these scenarios come to pass, the combination of a Republican governor in California and a Democrat-controlled Congress in Washington should send a clear message to politicians nationwide: We the American people are fed up with the extremists of both parties tearing our country apart.
It may take a few election cycles, but I’m convinced that if we can evolve into a government composed primarily of moderate Republicans, moderate Democrats, and independents we’ll be able to re-establish a country that truly works for all of the American people, not just the privileged few.
Maybe I’m dreaming, but as a 35-plus-year transplant from Indiana and Tennessee it’s what brought me to California in the first place. Thank you Papa John and Mama Michelle Phillips.
Jack Crawford
Saugus
