Milling about last Saturday’s Art & Wine Faire in San Carlos, it was easy to notice one well-staffed, red, white and blue-bedecked booth belonging to the San Mateo County Republican Party. No Dems, just Reeps.
These fundraising festivals have long proliferated, of course, and they frequently been an opportunity for regional elected officials and political parties to raise their profiles, register voters and tout candidates.
Could this be a signal of a reemergence by the long somnolent San Mateo County Republicans? Certainly, the local party has tried in the recent months to raise its profile with public events, most notably a regatta on the Foster City lagoon featuring eight boats and about 50 participants.
But, by and large, party representatives have been hard to reach and appeared to be keeping an intentionally low profile. This reflected the party’s registration.
The last preelection report will come out next week, but the report from a month ago showed the county’s Republican registration at 14.7%. It has hovered in this range for years. Since 2022, however, the GOP has gained nearly four times as many new party members as the Democrats — 4,053 to 1,522. No Party Preference, the second-largest group of registered voters, declined 2,755.
Republican candidates routinely run 5-10 points ahead of their party registration, a clear indication that there are more GOP voters in the county than the numbers might suggest. On the other hand, it would be hard to imagine how much lower the Republican Party numbers could go.
San Mateo County remains unmistakably and overwhelmingly Democratic — all its partisan officeholders and most holding nonpartisan office are Democrats. But there is a growing boldness from Republicans, prompted, perhaps, by the unapologetic assertiveness of Donald Trump. It may be only a question of time before a Republican is elected to a school board or a city council. And, that just may be the start of a revival of a party that dominated San Mateo County politics 30 years ago.
For the sake of the permanent record: County Supervisor Ray Mueller had a booth at the San Carlos event.
VIEW OF THE PLEDGE: Redwood City Councilmember Lissette Espinoza Garnica, running for reelection against Isabella Chu in the city’s southern District 3, sat for an interview this week and explained why they remain seated while colleagues rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
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“Standing is endorsing the fairness of government in America,” Espinoza Garnica said. “I’m not endorsing a myth.” They cited a number of ways America fails to live up to the promises in the pledge, among other places: Money goes to war, instead of helping people; oppressive behavior by government and law enforcement is widely prevalent; the nation is systematically unfair, or worse, to people of color.
Espinoza Garnica said it is not a new sensibility — they stopped standing for the pledge in middle school when it was no longer mandatory. “It has always been a personal matter,” and not a purposeful form of protest. Indeed, Espinoza Garnica said the item here six weeks ago about her non-stance was trivializing and that more important matters are more deserving of attention.
If reelected, Espinoza Garnica is in line to be mayor for the next two years. If so, they will continue to sit, “and I will just call on someone else” to lead the pledge.
Their view of the pledge should be no surprise. “I got elected for my opinions,” they said. But they acknowledged that election to the council raised their profile as someone who is “publicly and unabashedly a socialist.”
In campaigning door to door, the pledge does not come up, they said. Voters are concerned about traffic safety and housing, particularly how the push for more housing is displacing residents in the district. The ongoing split between pro- and no-housing advocates is “polarizing” and contributes to obscuring the real issues facing residents who are struggling to remain in the community, they said.
Perhaps the most prominent position Espinoza Garnica took four years ago — one to which they still adhere — is defunding the police department. They have called for “zeroing out” the department budget. But in actual practice, this stance has resulted in the council looking more critically and strategically at the redirection of public safety resources away from policing and more toward community engagement. There has been an associated reduction in juvenile-related crime, Espinoza Garnica said. It has not been their position to eliminate the police budget overnight and “with no replacement” of effective services.
THAT’LL DO IT: Vice President Kamala Harris is reported to have raised more than $1 billion since she began running for president. So, why does she keep asking me for $10?
Mark Simon is a veteran journalist, whose career included 15 years as an executive at SamTrans and Caltrain. He can be reached at marksimon@smdailyjournal.com.
(30) comments
The San Mateo Co Republican party is "hard to reach?" Have you tried? Do you have the Google? Lots of contact info... phone, email, events, monthly meetings... See you at noon today, Mark!
The San Mateo intelligence level is too high for many Republicans to fit in!
Your bark is. much worse than your bite, Jorg. Nice meeting you today, hope I fit in despite my "low intelligence" level.
Having met you briefly for lunch today, I quickly realized you are an exception!
Ignorance is bliss isn't Jorge? You prove your ignorance with each of your comments. Being book smart does not make one intelligent, you are living proof. However, common sense goes much further than intelligent head in the sand sheep.
Well, NutSo, - I guess it requires at least a minimum level of intellect to even halfway grasp what I'm saying
Good morning, Mark
Thanks for summarizing your interview with Lissette. Everyone knows what the councilor stands for...
See you at noon.
It sounds like Lissette Espinoza Garnica has no problems disrespecting America yet apparently has no problems taking money from taxpayers. Or is Ms. Espinoza Garnica not taking a salary? Perhaps when Ms. Espinoza Garnica speaks, everyone, including her colleagues, can turn their backs to her. Or everyone can bring American flags to Redwood City Council meetings. Or when folks see her, start reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Or all of the above, or some of the above. The best thing of all would be to vote for her opponent. Of note, Ms. Espinoza Garnica says, “I got elected for my opinions.” Really? I thought you were elected to express the will of the people.
Thank you Mark for your comments on the growth and presence of the Republican Party. See you at noon today. Since I have met none of you personally, I will be the one wearing a U.S. Army, Viet Nam Vet hat.
Democrats have a super majority in San Mateo County and the State of California, not a healthy situation.
Thanks, Mark, for setting up and facilitating a fun roundtable at lunch this afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with David Kristofferson, Mike Caggiano, MichKosh, Rel, and Jorg. It was a great forum to share some thoughts on the current political situation and to pilfer a couple of errant French fries when the opportunity presented itself. Thanks to Jorg for treating everyone to lunch!
Thanks to all who gathered for lunch. What a nice group. Special thanks to Jorg for your generosity. And thanks to Neal’s for managing our group so nicely.
Mark - I am sorry I missed this event. I am out of the country but it appears that several swords were reworked into plowshares. Need to repeat this from time to time to create more appreciation for one another. Based on what I am reading remotely, I take back almost everything I ever said about Jorg. What a guy!
Thanks to Mark for arranging the luncheon get together, and David for getting me to and from!
I understand you were considerate and reluctant to ask why I looked so crippled.
I have no problem sharing the story. I was crossing guard for Highlands Elementary for 10 years, taking care of the Newport/Monticello T-section in the morning. One day I stood in the crosswalk, with the stop sign held high, trying to stop a woman who needed to be informed that she could neither park on red and block the school bus, nor make such crazy maneuvers that she almost collided with another car, while little kids were trying to get to school in time. Instead of stopping, she decided to run me down! I reacted more or less instinctively to get out of her path in order not to be run over, with the result that I tore several ligaments in my back and damaged the spinal cord, which subsequently required emergency operation, yet leaving me with the sorry sight you saw.
Let me brag a little about my 10-year stunt as a Highlands crossing guard, - perhaps one of the most rewarding jobs I have had in a life full of interesting jobs. Such a delight to meet all the kids in the morning, so well behaved, waiting patiently at the stop signs for my signal to cross, - even holding back a parent not patient enough to wait for my go-signal! A couple of “fathers” used the opportunity to show their kids a bad example by getting into my face, - asking who I thought I was, telling people how to behave in the traffic!
I had a dispute with sheriff Munk, though, who wrote a letter, telling me I could not direct vehicular traffic, only follow people across, - without a badge on my chest and a gun on my hip. So, I wrote back and told him in no uncertain terms, that whether he liked it or not, I would continue to guide the traffic the way I had done so successfully for years, - because that was the only way to keep this T-section safe and flowing smoothly. Actually, with so much traffic that when a deputy sheriff was trying to do it in my absence, when I was back in Norway for a class reunion, he managed to create a royal mess, giving it up after a single morning’s unsuccessful attempt to play crossing guard! The school principal told me afterwards that it had been quite a mess, even with a collision, so I had to promise never, ever to be gone again! Being a crossing guard in a T-section where about 150 cars would go through while guiding kids to school, isn’t quite as easy as one may think, but teachers, parents and kids were very happy, - and safe! And my goodness, the gifts parents showered me with, - and the album they created for my 75th!
I guess, getting Terence Y out in the open, is a lost cause, but is a luncheon get-together with the other DJ opinion page visitor, Dirk in the making?
I'd gladly pick up the tab.
Like the millions of folks “lovin’ it” when Trump recently worked at McDonald’s whereas Kamala lied about doing so, I’m “lovin’ it” that I’m living rent-free in Jorg’s head. Jorg, does this mean I’ve been canceled from your invite list - forever? Is our budding friendship over?
The lies you believe, TY, continue to astound me. Thanks for continuing to share insights into the fascist cult.
Y? You would never dare to meet me face-to-face!
Two for one…
Westy, I’d like to take you seriously but how can I? I’ve asked you several times to explain how starving horses or people of alfalfa would solve our water crisis. You’ve been unable to even though you took a class on it. And I’ve asked you to explain to us what racism is and why using racism to address racism is a winning tactic. As usual, crickets. Instead, all you have to contribute are feeble attempts to insult me by accusing me of your shortcomings. Sad.
Jorg, that’s mighty big talk for a little man. What makes you think we haven’t met face-to-face? Didn’t you have a stunt (sic) as a crossing guard? I’m assuming you weren’t trying to leap over cars or dodge them like Frogger for a movie, right? And it wasn’t for Foster City ducks, was it? Regardless, here’s what we should do, and allow me borrow from Kamala, “We will work together, and continue to work together, to address these issues, to tackle these challenges, and to work together as we continue to work operating from the new norms, rules, and agreements, that we will convene to work together…We will work together.” Weird, eh Jorg? BTW, thanks for the exclamation point – the only valid point you ever have.
TY: You mean, actually admit, that you were one of the couple of guys getting into my face while crossing, telling me it was totally beneath their assumed masculine dignity to follow the directions of an old crossing guard, and instead setting a bad example for their own kids by ignoring STOP-signs and crossing directions, the opposite of what all others did? Are you also the one who demonstrated by walking diagonally through the intersection, just to show your kid how brave you were? Oh, yeah, wise parenting!
Perhaps you can explain why this very crowded T-section worked so much better during my 10-year stunt, than it did when a deputy sheriff tried to do it while I was in Norway for a class reunion, making a royal mess of it all, and disappearing after a single attempt at doing it, according to what the principal told me upon my return? Perhaps you can also explain away why the school gave me such a fantastic Thank-you album for my 75th, a heart-warming album teachers, parents and kids had worked on for weeks, and the reason one deputy sheriff told me in passing “Man, they love you back there”, pointing back at the school after they had shown him the album they were working on?
TY: Are you also the one with a kid so nice and obedient that he tried to prevent you from crossing until you got the GO-signal, and instead dragged your kid diagonally through the intersection, in between cars that had been waved through, and then forced to slam on the brakes when this idiot tried to cross? It would be hard to find anyone else so stupid!
Jorg, I’m glad I gave you a chance to wax nostalgic (whether your stories are true, or not) along with spewing your usual hate. Weird. Maybe I was one of the kids you were ushering across the street? Or to the bus? Too bad you’re not as helpful now as you were back then. My, how times change. Speaking of buses, let’s borrow from one of Kamala’s word salads, “Think about it: Yellow school buses are our nation’s largest form of mass transit. How ’bout that? Every day — so, yes, and let’s applaud because it gets ’em where they need to go! Ha ha ha!”
It must be hard for you, TY, to live with yourself, - and even harder for anyone else, I bet!
Jorg, thank you for your concern but I’m doing fine. As for others living with me, you’d be able to answer. After all, you’re allowing our (yes, our) great President Trump and me to live rent-free in your head (I have to admit, there’s still plenty of empty space). Doesn’t seem that hard for you, does it, because I'm lovin' it? Meanwhile, allow me to present another Kamala word salad appetizer, “This election is about a question that we each face. We each face a question in this election.” Get it? Nobody else does either.
TY: You still keep harping on your “Great president Trump”. Do you ever listen to him, - to understand what a great liar he is? Well, actually not so great, - since it is so obvious to all of us thinking individuals, that he is a compulsive liar, who knows very little, and who understands even less. But, of course, we don’t expect you to understand that, such a blind-folded Trumpist as you are!
Jorg, you keep harping. Period. Even if your fantastical allegations of our (yes, our) great President Trump were true, which they’re not, Trump is still the better candidate than stone-cold loser (not my words) and tongue-tied Kamala. But, of course, we don’t expect you to understand that. We’ve come to expect nothing much from you other than hysterical screeching and the occasional exclamation point (the only valid point you ever have). Have a blessed day! BTW, is it hard living with me? Are you mad because you’re giving me space rent-free?
I can only imagine this "round table" as a liberal circle j*rk. None of you are real. None of you are intelligent.
A wise LittleF* has spoken!
Would you have come, - if invited?
My pet hospital is around the corner from Neal's - if you want me there. Name the time.
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