While having significantly lower numbers of registered voters in San Joaquin County, Republicans fared well in the recent Primary Elections at the municipal, county, regional, state and national level, according to the local leader of the GOP.
San Joaquin County voters approved of Republican candidate Steve Garvey over Democratic candidate Adam Schiff by a 5 fivepercent margin, 35%-30%.. In the State Senator District 5 Race, county voters approved of Republican candidate Jim Shoemaker over Democratic candidate Jerry McNerney by a 46 percent to 31 percent margin, with another Democrat, Carlos Villapudua, getting 26%. In the race for the Judge of the San Joaquin County Superior Court Office No. 3, Republican candidate Peter Devencenzi led independent candidate Caitlin Mujica Casey 52%-48%.
“The Republicans here in San Joaquin County did very well,” said Rev. Dwight Williams, who has served as chairman of the San Joaquin County Republican Party since January 2019. “We are in the field of the marketplace of ideas here in San Joaquin County, and even in the (U.S.) Senate race with Garvey, we did well.”
With the primary races behind them, Republican Party members turned their attention to the November elections. Shoemaker believes the GOP can make a strong case to voters.
“We feel our campaign represents the majority of the district. We’re for the working man,” Shoemaker said. “For example, the top of the trades (unions) might be with the Democrats, but the rank-and-file workers are with me.”
Regarding messaging, Williams said the county Republican party plans to stick to the tried-and-true refrain of “are you better off now than you were four years ago. And the answer is no. We think we have a message appealing to Democrats as well as Republicans. We also think ethnic groups are open to our common sense, practical message.”
The county Republican Party is optimistic that the candidates will do well in the general elections, Williams said.
“San Joaquin County, like the greater portion of the Central Valley, tends to be more moderate and conservative,” he said. “There are also more moderate, business leaning Democrats.”
It’s still a tough road for Republicans in general elections. Of the state senate district’s nearly 600,000 registered voters, Democrats makeup the largest voting block at about 44%. Republicans come in second at just about 27%. The gap between Republicans and Democrats is even wider in the assembly district (49-22).
“Even in 2022, when Republicans did particularly well in and around Stockton and San Joaquin (County), both of those districts voted overwhelmingly democratic,” said Keith Smith, an associate professor of political science at University of the Pacific. “So whoever wins the democratic fight is going to, in all likelihood, be the person elected.”
As Williams sees it, county voters “are tired of the system of one party rule,” referring to the traditionally Democratic majority in the county. Even in races where the Democratic party candidate is the clear frontrunner, Williams sees reason to hope. One such race is the battle for the Congressional District 9 seat, where incumbent Democratic party candidate Josh Harder leads Stockton Mayor and Republican candidate Kevin Lincoln by 50 percent to nearly 30 percent. Republican party candidate John McBride earned 12 percent of the vote.
“Any time a congressman is at 50 percent or lower,” Williams said, “that incumbent has significant vulnerabilities.”