Wine tastings and relaxed outdoors social gatherings are common in Malibu, but not every day do you see a sizable group of more than 80 motivated Republicans gathering on Pacific Coast Highway to turn the tide of a presidential election.
California State Senate candidate Todd Zink, an active-duty United States Marine and Deputy Los Angeles County district attorney, shared his vision for bringing common sense and a true spirit of public service to a broken, splintered Sacramento. Todd pledged to address the issues of overcrowded county prisons, persistent unemployment and California’s failing schools.
Next, Republicans mingled with new faces at an al fresco wine and cheese next to the newly opened La Costa Mission Mexican restaurant where, we learned, the executive chef cooked for President Bush. Paul Morgan Fredrix, chair of the 50th Assembly District of the Republican Central Committee for Los Angeles County, made an introduction. Conversations centered on shared conservative values and recalled a once healthy economy in the state before Democrats took charge. After snacking on appetizers, sampling a variety of wines and meeting like-minded California Republicans, guests packed into the Malibu Republican Headquarters to learn about the many ballot propositions.
Gary Aminoff, first vice chair of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County and president of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club, gave an enlightening overview of the 11 propositions that qualified for the November ballot and giving Republicans recommendations for which way to vote. Mr. Aminoff presented an overwhelming amount of facts on each proposition.
Susan Shelly, former candidate for Congress and Woodland Hills city chair for the Romney campaign, signed up volunteers to walk precincts in Nevada. Keith McCowen, Republican candidate for State Assembly in the 54th District in West Los Angeles, shared his background. Born and raised in south central Los Angeles, he told of his affiliation with the party that “freed the slaves.” He challenged the audience, “We’ve left the inner city alone as Republicans.”
Mitchel Morrison
Malibu Republican Party