The young Republican who outshined his partner and his two Democratic competitors:
Here's Philippe Noel's take on immigration and refugees:
Philippe is a rising star in the California Republican Party.
He has a strong libertarian streak, and wants to see the CAGOP reach out and connect with everyone, especially disaffected Democrats.
On immigration, left and right, Republican and Democrat, Americans are fed up with illegal immigration. This issue is not as contentious as it was thought to be 8 years ago, or even 16 years ago.
After the debate, I confronted the College Democrats. I simply asked this question:
"What would you like to tell the parents of Kate Steinle?"
They didn't have an answer. No surprise there.
Final Reflection
I wish that more people had attended the UCI debate.
The forum was lightly attended, and there were more liberal members than conservative. Some of the most outspoken were the DACA students!
I couldn't believe it.
One thing that I learned from this forum: conservatives need to start showing up to these events.
We need to understand that debates are not just about an exchange of ideas. Democrats use these events to promote themselves and demote Republicans. They recognize that these events are spectacles.
Republicans need to step up their game. Demonstrate their superior knowledge, then take down the opposition like a boss!