One Republican in the state of California embraced the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union:
Eric Linder.
How did that work out for him?
He lost.
![]("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Eric_Linder.jpg/220px-Eric_Linder.jpg") |
| Eric Linder |
Here are the numbers which show by how much he lost:
Sabrina Cervantes
(Party Preference: DEM) 70,599 53.8%
Eric F. Linder
(Party Preference: REP) 60,745 46.2%
What did the Orange County Register have to say about Linder?
Several times in the last year, Assemblyman Eric Linder, R-Corona,
pushed the green “yes” button on his desk when most of his Republican colleagues
pressed “no.”
pushed the green “yes” button on his desk when most of his Republican colleagues
pressed “no.”
He broke from his party to vote for labor-backed bills requiring more
disclosure of health care rates, new layoff protections for civil servants and
a system for workers to collect unpaid wages from employers.
disclosure of health care rates, new layoff protections for civil servants and
a system for workers to collect unpaid wages from employers.
Notice that Linder was voting for Big Labor interests.
Those interests are not in concert with the Republican Party.
Those interests are not in concert with the best interests of middle class.
![]("http://www.seiu21la.org/files/2013/01/SEIUpy.jpg")
![]("https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KwN3dRPXmPI/WD0chxgjaZI/AAAAAAAANME/QZKeLlv36T0td0GNSXg3xb2ZiBdF6iACQCLcB/s320/illegal%2Bimmigration%2Bis%2Ba%2Bcrime.jpg")
In fact, the labor union agenda is less and less supportive of the needs of working Californians!
The OC Register articles continues:
California’s largest public employee union supports tax increases and
government spending, so it usually finds more in common with Democrats. Its
endorsement of Linder – the son of a Mexican immigrant who first won election
pledging not to raise taxes – has left some politicos scratching their heads,
and others wondering if it signals an emerging trend of labor making nice with
the GOP.
government spending, so it usually finds more in common with Democrats. Its
endorsement of Linder – the son of a Mexican immigrant who first won election
pledging not to raise taxes – has left some politicos scratching their heads,
and others wondering if it signals an emerging trend of labor making nice with
the GOP.
“He is the kind of guy who is going to start changing the Republican
Party,” said SEIU’s political director, Alma Hernandez. “We’re willing to spend
money and help good Republicans get elected.”
Party,” said SEIU’s political director, Alma Hernandez. “We’re willing to spend
money and help good Republicans get elected.”
Does anyone not see the issues with this affiliation?
Linder had pledged not to raise taxes.
Then he turns around and supports the tax hikes!
By the way, the SEIU is aggressive as well as liberal. They have blocked streets, harassed taxpayers. They threatened to go on strike earlier this month.
He also voted for SB 10, the bill that allowed illegal aliens to purchase health insurance on the Obamacare state exchanges.
![]("https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KwN3dRPXmPI/WD0chxgjaZI/AAAAAAAANME/QZKeLlv36T0td0GNSXg3xb2ZiBdF6iACQCLcB/s1600/illegal%2Bimmigration%2Bis%2Ba%2Bcrime.jpg")
Unbelievable!
Sources from the Riverside area–where Eric Linder represented–noticed that he had not prepared any kind of volunteer base or GOTV operation.
I guess he thought that the SEIU would meet all those needs.
Guess what? It did not work.
Linder lost.
Check out the union's agenda in supporting Linder:
“We’re not going to endorse a Republican just to endorse a Republican,”
Araby said. “They are going to have to want a relationship with us and think
about how they can best represent our members.”
Araby said. “They are going to have to want a relationship with us and think
about how they can best represent our members.”
Turning Republicans into unions puppets–that was the name of the game.
This kind of political double-dealing has plagued Republicans looking for more power and influence in the state of California.
This one more misguided example of the bad advice that out-of-touch consultants and liberal-leaning GOP donors are embracing.
Identity politics and special interest pandering is not going to save the California GOP.
It sure did not help Linder, who lost an assembly seat with a R+5 registration!
Awful.
Final Reflection
What have we learned from Linder's mistakes?
I hope that Republican leadership in the state of California realize that outreach for the sake of outreach is meaningless in the long run.
Inclusiveness absent from principle is counter-productive and even destructive.
Republicans run for office on a set of promises, They have to keep those promises.
The Republicans running for local or state office cannot arrogantly assume that Republican voters will hold their noses for key vote-betrayals.
No. They won't.