See my March 5, 2020 report on how California voters rejected the Liberal Left’s wasteful “school construction” bond, and how up to 11 California congressional districts could flip from Democrat to Republican in November

What do you get with California’s recently-concluded primary election? A chance to “change some faces” in Sacramento. In other words, this 2020 election year, you can help improve the State Legislature!

SaveCalifornia.com has crunched the numbers for you. Although the final vote tallies are still subject to change, here’s what I confidently think you can be glad or sad about:

1. Potential of pro-family conservatives to hold or gain seats in the State Legislature:

State Senate:

SD 5 in San Joaquin County, with some overlap with Stanislaus and Sacramento counties: This contest has the best chance of taking back a Senate seat from the ruling Democrats. Stalwart conservative Jim Ridenour powered into 2nd place to make the general election a real choice between a constitutional Republican and an unconstitutional “LGBTQIA+” Democrat. Add up the votes for 3 Republican candidates, and Republicans received more than the 2 Democrat candidates. 

SD 19 in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties: Could this Central Coast senate seat be won by a conservative Republican? If pro-family congressional candidate Andy Caldwell brings out more Republican voters, the campaign of state senate Republican candidate Gary Michaels could benefit. But Michaels would have to successfully court independents to improve his numbers.

SD 23 in San Bernardino and Riverside counties: This district is currently represented by one of the best pro-family state senators, Mike Morrell, who’s termed out of office. If Republican Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh holds this seat for Republicans, it will disappoint Democrat strategists, who want this district as their own. In the primary election, Republican candidates earned 55% support over the Democrats.

SD 28 covering most of Riverside County: Family-values representation could get better with pro-family champion Melissa Melendez taking the lioness’s share of the primary election’s votes to replace half-conservative Jeff Stone, who resigned last fall to work for the Trump Administration. If the voters for the other Republican in the race, John Schwab (13.4%), add their votes to Melendez’s supporters (41.5%), this seat has a good chance of becoming reliably more pro-family. Because of Stone’s resignation, this district is on a special election calendar. So the run-off between Melendez and whatever Democrat opponent eventually wins second place in the primary is coming soon, on May 12.

State Assembly:

AD 8 covering the Sacramento County communities of Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Carmichael, Rancho Cordova, and Vineyard: Incumbent Democrat Ken Cooley (who votes for Democrat bills nearly all the time) got a surprise in the primary election when Republican newcomer Cathy Cook came within 6,000 votes. If she mounts a real campaign exposing Cooley’s unpopular votes, this district could become competitive.

AD 32 covering Kings County and much of Kern County: This district wrinkles its nose at the values of San Francisco and West Hollywood, but their Democrat assemblyman, Rudy Salas, votes against his district values nearly all the time. But this primary election, Republican gun shop owner Todd Cotta is mounting a serious challenge, and scored within 2,000 votes.

AD 33 in the High Desert from the Victor Valley to the Nevada and Arizona borders: This district’s probably getting morally better with Thurston “Smitty” Smith being the top vote-getter in the primary election. Smith says he’s “a devout family man and Christian,” taxpayer advocate, and NRA member. Sounds like he wouldn’t vote to force schools to retroactive change the sex of a student on official records, like current Republican Assemblyman Jay Obernolte did. In November, Smith will face off with fellow Republican Rick Herrick of Big Bear Lake.

AD 38 in Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Newhall: This seat is open, since liberal Democrat Christy Smith is running to fill the seat of her good friend, bisexuality activist Katie Hill. But a Republican will win here, since Republicans Suzette Valladares and Lucie Volotzky are the two top vote-getters. Just do your homework to determine which one is really pro-family, conservative, and constitutional.

AD 42 in Beaumont, Palm Springs, La Quinta, Yucca Valley, and Twentynine Palms: Former RINO, now independent, Chad Mayes has voted several times for “LGBTQIA+” bills. And this year, as the current official holder, he has a conservative Republican challenger going into November. The primary election numbers are fairly close. Andrew Kotyuk says he’s a “conservative Republican,” has memberships with the NRA and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and is thought to be pro-life.

AD 60 in Corona, El Serrito, Norco, Eastvale, and Mira Loma: Republican Chris Raahauge made a good showing here, within 1,000 votes of the Democrat incumbent, liberal “LGBTQIA+” lesbian Sabrina Cervantes, who’s “married” to another woman. Four years ago, this was a solid Republican district.

AD 65 in Fullerton, Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton in north Orange County: Will conservative Republican Cynthia Thacker beat incumbent liberal Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva in November? Thacker got nearly 10,000 votes less than Quirk-Silva, but if she mounts a real campaign and fights hard, she might get in striking distance.

AD 66 in Torrance, Gardena, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and the Palos Verdes peninsula: It’s going to be interesting to see how Arthur Schaper exposes the very liberal Democrat Al Muratsuchi. While a long-shot to win, Schaper is a committed, creative, Christian activist, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he could educate many voters to turn about Muratsuchi’s voting record.

AD 74 in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Irvine: Will this long-time Republican seat be recovered in 2020? In the March 3 primary election, the two Republican challengers earned nearly 50% of the vote together. In November, Diane Dixon will face off with Democrat incumbent Cottie Petrie-Norris.

AD 76 in the north San Diego County cities of Oceanside, Carlsbad, Vista, and Encinitas: In this former Republican district, Republican Melanie Burkholder, who is said to be pro-life, is about 16,000 votes behind the incumbent Democrat, Tasha Boerner Horvath. Burkholder’s website says, “Melanie is active in our community, a dedicated volunteer at her church, a member of the Carlsbad Republican Women Federated…” Her Issues page talks about, “When government over-reaches it infringes on our parental rights, our property rights…” Horvath could be toppled if Burkholder is able to rally local churches.

AD 77 in north San Diego city and county communities of Clairemont, Miramar, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Poway, Rancho Penasquitos, Rancho Bernardo, and Rancho Santa Fe: The current seat-holder, Brian Maienschein, was the most liberal Republican in the State Assembly before becoming a Democrat in 2019. Because this district was sold one thing and got another in 2018, Maienschein’s conservative Republican challenger June Cutter might take this Republican district back for Republicans. In the primary election, Cutter came in second by nearly 20,000 votes less than Maineschein, but she has several months to try to reach Republican and independent voters. 

2. Republicans try to “clean house”

AD 72 in the Orange County cities of Westminster, Garden Grove, Seal Beach, Fountain Valley, and Huntington Beach: Republican Assemblyman Tyler Diep being challenged by former state senator Janet Nguyen (pronounced “win”) received more than 9,000 votes more than Diep, who’s narrowly in second, and might still lose to a Democrat challenger. Nguyen and the county Republican party are angry with Diep for being the only GOP vote for AB 5 to force most independent contractors to become employees.

AD 73 in the south Orange County communities of Trabuco Canyon, Coto De Caza, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Ladera Ranch, Dana Point, and San Clemente: Current Republican Assemblyman William Brough has been rejected for re-election after being opposed by the county Republican party and conservative groups due to allegations that Brough committed sexual and financial misdeeds. In the November runoff are conservative Republican Laurie Davies (who, as a city councilwoman, has stood against union bosses) versus homosexual activist Democrat Scott Rhinehart. 

3. Other outcomes to be happy or sad about

CD 50 covering most of the inland potion of middle and northern San Diego County: Carl DeMaio, a homosexual activist who’s “married” to another man, was prevented from advancing to the runoff for this conservative congressional seat when he got third place.

SD 13 between San Jose and San Francisco: in this Democrat stronghold, former state assemblywoman Sally Lieber, who was notorious for trying to label good parents as criminal “child abusers” because they occasionally spanked their children for rebellion, apparently will not make the top two.

SD 17 on California’s Central Coast between San Jose and Santa Maria: Democrat homosexual activist John Laird could become a state senator, making it 3 homosexual activists state senators in the Democratic caucus. Laird, who authored several “LGBTQIA+” bills when he was in the State Assembly, came in first place.

CD 8 blanketing most of San Bernardino County and all of Inyo and Mono counties: Many pro-family Californians remember Tim Donnelly for his moral, social, fiscal patriotism in the State Assembly and when he ran for governor in 2014. Yet, when outgoing and pro-transsexuality U.S. Representative Republican Paul Cook, U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, and President Donald Trump endorsed pro-transsexuality Assemblyman Jay Obernolte, that kept Donnelly, a definite moral threat to the establishment, in third place and out of the general election running for this congressional seat.

ACTION: Please contact the candidate of your choice and ask how you can help. For wherever you apply your love and values, you can be an overcomer and bear fruit!

Consider well the important trust . . . which God . . . [has] put into your hands. . . . To God and posterity you are accountable for [your rights and your rulers]. . . . Let not your children have reason to curse you for giving up those rights and prostrating those institutions which your fathers delivered to you. . . . [L]ook well to the characters and qualifications of those you elect and raise to office and places of trust. . . . Think not that your interests will be safe in the hands of the weak and ignorant; or faithfully managed by the impious, the dissolute and the immoral. Think not that men who acknowledge not the providence of God nor regard His laws will be uncorrupt in office, firm in defense of the righteous cause against the oppressor, or resolutly oppose the torrent of iniquity. . . . Watch over your liberties and privileges – civil and religious – with a careful eye.
1803 election sermon of Pastor Matthias Burnett of Hanford, Connecticut