Dear Editor,
Many West Los Angeles Republican voters are noticing the race for Central Committee on their ballots for the first time and may skip over it because they do not know what Central Committee is, or do not know who to vote for. That would be a HUGE mistake!
Central Committee is responsible for some of the most important groundwork of the local Republican Party: voter registration, voter education, getting out the vote, recruiting talented and qualified candidates, supporting candidate campaigns, organizing volunteers, and
fundraising. Having the right people dedicated to this necessary work, and doing it effectively, is critical — especially in AD 42 where our California Assembly seat can be flipped red and DSA-backed local candidates can be pushed out of office if the Republicans improve their ground game.
Due to 2020 redistricting and low Los Angeles GOP engagement in the last decade or more, there has not been an election for Los Angeles GOP Central Committee for the newly-drawn geographic boundary of Assembly District 42 ever. The new boundary for LA County encompasses: Beverly Hills Post Office and Holmby Hills North of Sunset up to Mulholland; Beverly Glen and Bel Air North of Sunset up to Mulholland; Brentwood North of San Vicente; Pacific Palisades; Malibu; Agoura Hills; Calabasas; and Westlake Village (on the LA County side).
Twenty-three percent of AD 42’s registered Republican voters live in the LA County portion of the district.
Luckily, there is no shortage of quality AD 42 Central Committee candidates to vote for in this March 2024 Primary election. One is attorney and mother Elizabeth Barcohana, who is endorsed by California Assemblymember Bill Essayli, Calabasas City Councilman James R. Bozajian, Chino Valley Board of Education President Sonja Shaw, Orange County Board of Education Trustee Mari Barke, Mom Army/Dad Army, Moms on the Ground, California Women’s Leadership Association PAC, the West Los Angeles Republican Assembly, and the California Republican Assembly. Also endorsed by the CRA running for Central Committee are candidates from nearly all areas of AD 42: Ginger Hyde (Pacific Palisades), former Malibu Mayor Richard Mullen, Kevin Hedvat (Beverly Hills PO), Ronnie Bansbach (Brentwood), Marshall Mullen (Malibu), and former Agoura Hills Mayor Denis Weber.
Central Committee appears toward the end of the March Primary ballot, after the judges (another section voters commonly skip but should not). Be sure to look out for it and remember to vote for these seven qualified candidates early, well before Election Day on March 5.
Rick Mullen, Malibu