President Donald Trump is facing a moment of opportunity to pull off a rare feat.
Writer and Editor-at-large Kira Davis of RedState is suggesting that Trump for the first time since 1988 could turn California red — and he could do it by saying one simple thing — speaking out against a controversial piece of legislation out of California, signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, that has drawn anger across both party lines.
The bill — called “AB5” — has caused an eruption of backlash among Californians for restricting the rights of independent contractors. Pundits say this impacts companies such as Lyft and Uber, specifically its drivers, who under the new law will be forced to become employees against their will.
Instead of California drivers and independent contractors alike having a choice in when and how often they work, they’re now forced to comply with the liberal state’s government regulations.
And Davis, a California resident, is writing that the bill has stunned Democrats beyond belief:
“When AB5 came along it rocked the world of almost every faithful Democrat voter,” she wrote.
The bill’s creator, Democratic California State Assembly-woman Lorena Gonzalez, seems to be at the center of the outrage.
“[She] has been flooded with emails, calls and social media pleas to reverse her position and support her constituents who are begging for help,” Davis added.
But Gonzalez isn’t listening, Davis writes. In fact Gonzalez is pushing back on fellow Democrats with “churling, obscene and insulting” behavior. She has reportedly made fun of citizens who have concerns about the bill, calling them “trolls.” Davis explains that this is putting Democrats in the state in a less-than-thrilled position.
“They want to vote Democrat,” Davis writes, “and yet when faced with the smug cruelty of the Lorena Gonzalez’ of the state they are now at their own crossroads.”
She argues that this observation serves as the key moment for Trump to reach voters on both sides of the aisle.
“I’ve never seen so many Californians willing and eager to cross the aisle to vote Republican as I have in the last two months. There are many who will back me up on this.”
Democratic voters are feeling left out, according to Davis, and it seems that liberal leadership is ignoring them.
So Trump has the potential to make huge inroads in the state by simply acknowledging the bill and speaking out to disgruntled Democratic voters, Davis writes. The possibility would mirror Trump’s messaging and how it resonated with both Michigan and Pennsylvania voters in the 2016 general election in an effort to flip the states red.
Although Davis is tempering expectations about a total Trump-California takeover for years to come, she writes that there’s evidence to suggest that his sentiment alone could be enough to trigger a tilt in California come November 2020.
The Horn editorial team