Thursday, November 6, 2014

Statement of California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton on 2014 Election Results

It appears Democrats across the nation will always have California. On a night that saw Republicans make gains across the nation, much like in 2010, California held firm. At the statewide level, California remains a deep blue beacon because of the bold leadership of Jerry Brown and our strong Democratic majority in Sacramento.

In a repeat of 2010, California Democrats swept all statewide offices this year and even helped pass the most significant criminal justice reform measures in decades with Proposition 47.

Democrats under Governor Brown have accomplished much in just four short years and our victories at the statewide level serve as an affirmation of that reality.

While the results were less decidedly in our favor at the district level, the reality is California Democrats have had an embarrassment of riches for the past several election cycles and that has left us with many seats to defend, often in Republican leaning territory in low turn out cycles.

We look forward to recommitting to our efforts pressing into Republican strongholds, in particular the Central Valley. Many of the seats that were lost last night will be regained in just two years and there are many more which will be ripe for the picking from Republican hands in 2016.