Commentary:
By Assemblymember Rocky Chávez

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the California Republican Party’s Spring Convention, where I believe the Republican Party took two major steps towards positive change.

First, former Senator Jim Brulte was elected as the new Chairman. This leadership change was welcome, and I believe he will help the party grow. Jim Brulte is a dynamic and accomplished leader who has already established a clear plan to provide resources, develop local support and ensure candidates represent the diversity of their communities. His mature and experienced leadership will ensure success and I look forward to working alongside him.

Second, we took great strides by recognizing the importance of the Latino Community to the future of the Republican Party in our state. In my opinion, the most exciting part of the convention was the enthusiastic support for GROW Elect, a grassroots effort to assist and support local leaders who desire to run for public office. During GROW Elect’s standing room only presentation, Ruben Barrales, the new CEO, provided an engaging perspective on the importance of his organization. Former Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado was one of four speakers on the panel that discussed connecting with Latino voters. All weekend as I walked around the convention, I consistently heard about the excitement over GROW Elect.

This weekend the Republican Party started anew, gaining a fresh perspective on core values such as the importance of family, the strength behind individual freedom and the celebration of our country’s immigrant heritage. These are the values that our party was built on, and what originally made us successful.

Democratic societies work best when there is competition for good ideas. There is value for everyone in a two-party system. California needs the Republican Party to return to the Grand Old Party that helped shape one of the most successful states in the Union. With Jim Brulte leading the way, and Assemblymember Connie Conway and Senator Bob Huff at the helm of our Legislative Caucuses, I see a bright future for California and the Republican Party!