California GOP Now 79% White As State Gets More Diverse: Poll

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Republican Party has failed to keep pace with the state's evolving demographics over the past 30 years, signaling further trouble for a party that has been slipping in popularity, according to a poll released Tuesday.

A new Field Poll illustrates the changing face of California and its electorate since 1978, providing a wide snapshot of a state in transition. It also shows how the California GOP has changed at a much slower pace over that time.

The party has increased its share of Hispanics, blacks, Asians and others since 1978, when those groups accounted for just 7 percent of the GOP, but the changes have lagged shifts in the state's overall diversity, according to the poll released Tuesday.

Presently, about 79 percent of Republican Party members are white, even as whites in California's population have dropped from 69 percent in 1978 to less than 43 percent, according to the Field Poll.

Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo said the Republican Party's failure to keep pace with the demographic shift is a potentially ominous sign for its future, particularly because of the independent voters who are becoming increasingly influential in state elections.

The makeup of nonpartisan voters, who account for 20 percent of the California electorate, is similar to that of the Democratic Party. Some 45 percent of registered Democrats and 41 percent of independents are considered ethnic, or nonwhite voters, according to the survey.

"There has been some change, but not at the same pace as change in the overall electorate," DiCamillo said of the state GOP. "It really is a function of how the party chooses to define itself."

Broadening its reach has become a top priority for the California Republican Party, which has seen its share of registered voters plummet in recent years to 32 percent, 12 percentage points behind Democrats.

It launched a program earlier this year to build networks in every ethnic community and occupational niche in the state, hoping to recruit a diverse array of candidates for local and statewide office.

"Absolutely, the Republican Party cannot become a governing majority in California without dramatically increasing its reach into communities where we have underperformed in the past," GOP chairman Ron Nehring said in response to the Field report.

The Field Poll released Tuesday is the first of two intended to survey California's social and political landscape over the past 30 years. The first looks at ethnic and voter registration changes, while a report due out Wednesday examines changes in voter attitudes on a variety of issues.

Other demographic changes in Tuesday's Field Poll report include an increase in the state's population from 22.8 million in 1978 to 38.3 million. Also, white, non-Hispanics' share of the state's registered voter population has decreased from 83 percent to 65 percent.

And, Republicans have shifted from the coast to inland counties; some 37 percent live in inland areas today, up from 22 percent. Sixty-eight percent of registered voters are age 40 or older, an increase of 10 percentage points from 1978.

Comments

[freedomthrutruth]

Keep in mind that there are many other ways to win (steal) an election aside from obtaining the most votes. As such, I suspect Republicans will retain many of their seats in both state and national governments for a long time to come. In essence, in many cases, they really don't need a large percentage of minority votes to win in states without a paper trail for voting machines. In some instances, winning or losing simply becomes a matter of computer programming. Do we live in a democracy in which all Americans have a right to vote and a right to have their votes counted? No!!

We may then assume that politicians in our state and national governments are just as unrepresentative as politicians in the 18th century in this country. So we are taxed to death, but we attain little, if any, representation.

The unrepresen­tativeness of the current American national government has led to massive bank bailouts; the failure of the bankruptcy bill that would have kept 1.7 million Americans in their homes; the strengthening of the Federal Reserve that is largely responsible for our continuing economic crisis; continued wars seemingly without end; increased, hidden surveillance on the American people, and the coming swine flue vaccine hoax designed to fill the coffers of vaccine manufacturers and their investors.

And many of those investors, by the way, are our fine, unrepresentative Congressmen. Aren't they enjoying a nice little party at our expense?

[AFAN]

The GOP is going target white voters, mainly male, rural & older voters. People who are afraid of government taking away their guns, their freedoms and their religion. But this is the same group who were once called the Dixiecrats, that were for segregation, anti-civil rights bills an anti gay until LBJ signed the civil rights bill of 1965 in which have now found their home in the GOP and with it brought it's lynch mob klan mentality in the form of the teabaggers,& birthers.

The real fear has little to with the President policies this as a lot to do with the fear of loosing their way of life because of the increase number immigration coming from Mexico, Central America, Asia & a multiracial society which will eventually become the majority. Many people of coming from Mexico, Central & South America, Asian & Africa who previously lived in third world countries tend to have liberal views and do not share the values as the Anglo-Saxon American that was created by the founding father who crafted aspect of the Constitution that was originally intended by white people and for white people.

[nowarpleez]

They are overwhelming caucasian, male and older than the average age.

[munki]

Overhaul please...

Diversity.­..

[mcmutter]

South Carolina is only 68% white. Maybe thats why the white folk down there are so scared. Where's their story ?

[WakeMeUpNow]

it will come...

[Harrier]

No nothing...­Me, Me Me.

[atrivera15]

Obama's election has proved without a shadow of doubt just how bad racism is in this country. A lot of white are afraid because the minorities work for less and easily out work them. They have the work ethic that used to be the norm in this country. These birthers are really hurting the GOP with minorities. If I were them I would be really worried.

[IDIOTA]

I don't believe that statistic.

[jwredd]

So find another poll you like the sound of better.

[amber15]

that's okay, I don't believe the earth is round.....­.....

[igorz]

Know a lot of Black Republicans in California, do you? Hispanic Republicans? Perhaps a few Asians, that's about it.

[NoSillyName]

I know a lot of white Independents and Democrats.

[walk0nwalls]

Phoning in from Orange County and can 100% confirm this to be true.

[satanlite]

Hmmm...i wonder what percentage of white racists belong to the Republican party ... that would be more telling.

[nowarpleez]

I'd say 100%.

[Okieborn]

Everyone know that honest is not the Republican theme song !
It just doesn't fit their majority !!

[somefool]

Wow, pretty soon they'll be pure.

[firstrax]

This is unacceptable. Diversity and moderation have no place in thr new republican party.

[Georgiapundit]

The GOP and their supporters feel that America is theirs and theirs only. In fact, anyone who does not carry their banner is UN American. They participate in inclusion only when the Government makes them. They also hate Obama passionately because he is a black man, and consequently the GOP is even more hateful and spiteful to minorities.

[Lasnoe]

it is becoming exhausting to rewriting posts that are perfectly valid but for whatever reason don't make the edit....

it really is getting annoying

[NoSillyName]

Infuriating. Copy them to notepad and save until you see if they show up or not.

[Budokan]

Welcome to a footnote in history, 'Puglets. You don't deserve anything more than that.

http://kennethmarkhoover.com