It has been a very busy 2 months since the convention. May, we held a retreat for the state wide officers. Goals were set in various areas. Late June, a Board of Directors meeting was held. We had a great turnout of officers at both meetings. And I’m happy to announce that CRA membership is up 15% in these first two months. We are growing!!

Many of our members have been very active in the Andy Vidak campaign for State Senate in Fresno. Things will be heating up (literally) in Fresno between now and Election Day, July 23rd. It is extremely important to help with this election. We have an incredible opportunity to pick up the Senate seat; getting us closer to the day when the Dems will not have their 2/3 majority. Thank you VP, Tim Thiesen, for all your hard work on this.

VP, Alice Khosravy, and her crew of dedicated conservatives are close to starting new units in Pasadena and Camarillo. I was honored to have attended the reorganization of the Chatsworth/Northridge units. In addition Alice is our Communications Director. Two new units, reorganization and keeping communication going, great job Alice!!

VP, Craig Alexander, has been busy putting together a North San Diego unit. He has them very excited about CRA. And of course, his region boasts the summer social event of the season, the Orange County CRA picnic. Stanton RA President (and Mayor) Dave Shawver has generously donated all the food.

Ed Rowen, the President of the Placer County Republican Assembly, has kept the CRA banner flying high in Placer County. The club recently hosted Assembly Brian Dahle, who provided insights into the dysfunctional California Legislature. On July 27th, the club will hold a picnic with Congressman McClintock and local dignitaries. A reception for local elected officials in Placer County, California’s most Republican county has been scheduled for October 17th. Also, want to mention what a great help VP, Tom Hudson, has been to me as Parliamentarian. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate his advice.

There are so many board members that are going beyond and above what I could have hoped for, VP, Carl Brickey, Secretaries, Todd Blair, Rohit Joy and George Park to name just a few. I’ve been pretty busy too; have visited 14 units to date. I am expecting more from your CRA State officers and they are delivering. We are achieving more.

With less than a year to the June 2014 primary, it is important that we grow CRA with more members in our existing units and add more units. Please ask a fellow conservative to go with you to your unit’s next meeting.

And from my family to yours, we wish you a Happy Independence Day. When you fully grasp what our founding fathers sacrificed so that we could have the liberty that we hold so dear, Independence Day is more than just a day for hot dogs and fireworks.
John Briscoe
President, California Republican Assembly
pres@cragop.org