Calif. Republican Party Talks Debt At State Convention
BURBANK (CBSLA.com) — Some California Republicans acknowledged the party's outstanding debt problems Friday night at a convention in Burbank.
Officials wouldn't discuss specific numbers, but the San Francisco Chronicle reported the party was hundreds of thousands of dollars in the red.
Mark Standriff, the Cal GOP communications director, talked to KCAL9's Dave Bryan about the money issue.
"Everybody goes through their own unique sets of challenges. Right now, for us, it happens to be financial," he said.
At the Republican headquarters in Sacramento, some workers were laid off and the office was cut back.
"We are downsizing the office in Sacramento. It's a tough time.The fundraising environment is not an easy one out there," said Cal GOP Executive Director Brent Lowder.
Republican State Assembly candidate Rob Bernosky, who's running in Salinas and Gilroy, said the state party has helped him a great deal.
"I get to go to great training. I get to get the wisdom of a lot of people who know how to make this happen," he said.
However, Bernosky's message that Democrats have messed up California's finances isn't easy when the Republican Party is mired in debt.
At the Burbank convention, volunteer Carolyn Preschern from Alta Loma said the party is doing the best it can under the circumstances.
"I think they're doing wise choices of scaling back and not going into more debt," she said.
This weekend, GOP leaders are hoping to rally delegates and convince them the party is solvent.
