CALIFORNIA/DEMS/GOP/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “One of the few Republican lawmakers left in Sacramento announced he would become a Democrat, dealing another blow to the party’s California fortunes and diminishing the role of Republican moderates. With Assemblyman Brian Maienschein’s defection, Republicans hold just 19 out of 80 seats in the California Assembly. The entire state legislative delegation from San Diego — long a stronghold of conservative politics in California — will be represented in Sacramento by Democrats. Donald Trump’s enduring unpopularity in California dragged down candidates across the ballot in 2018, Republican operatives say, and Maienschein explicitly condemned the ‘offensive’ president in explaining his decision.”
–Jeremy B. White and Angela Hart, “California GOP lawmaker defects to Democrats in latest blow, blames Trump,” Politico, January 24, 2019 4:53 pm