New Majority: a Return to Roots

* Regarding the March 12 Orange County Voices columns saying the New Majority group in the Orange County Republican Party was “clobbered” (Mark P. Petracca) and suffered “a crushing repudiation” (Hugh Hewitt):

Almost 100 of Orange County’s most visible and concerned Republicans came together with large dollars to try and improve the dismal status quo.

They raised very large sums of money because they believe in the necessity of change, so that Republicans might come off the state’s endangered species list.

We’ve lost our majority of registered voters in Orange County.

Four years ago Republicans were fortunate enough to hold all of the state and federal offices in Orange County. Now we have new Democrats in Assembly, state Senate and congressional offices. Not exactly a glowing testament to our effectiveness, is it?

Our party’s leadership has quietly and almost invisibly precluded almost all moderate candidates from running in this county if they don’t pass the belief tests on abortions, guns, gays, airports, taxes, education or whatever.

The New Majority Committee was formed to return our party to its attractive and inviting roots: less, but effective government; moderate social ideals and fiscal conservatism; helping people help themselves without government dictating every aspect of their lives; less taxes, not more; fewer regulations, not more; better education for our youth from our quality teachers by liberating them both from stifling bureaucracy.

We are here for the long run and aren’t just about a particular race, election cycle or candidate. We hope to improve the image and attractiveness of the Republican Party here in Orange County by encouraging reasonable, socially moderate and fiscally conservative people to run for a variety of offices here where we live.

In the only two contested Republican primary Assembly races, we decisively supported the winning reasonable and moderate candidates. The defeated Republican candidates were heavily supported and backed by the old guard, elected officials and Central Committee leadership that helped us to achieve our minority status.

We will continue to work diligently in the months and years to come to help our GOP regain its luster. We have a wonderful message for America that hasn’t been heard in a while. Listen carefully, it’s coming back.

MARK CHAPIN JOHNSON

Co-founder,

the New Majority Committee