After El Cajon Councilmember Gary Kendrick flipped to the Democratic Party, San Diego Republicans must look inward for answers on how we grow locally.
Yes (thankfully), the Republican vote spiked in 2024. But outside that election, we’ve been steadily losing ground in San Diego County.
That decline has coincided with the rise of Reform California, founded by Carl DeMaio. Since 2017, DeMaio has raised over $25 million — effectively cannibalizing the Republican Party of San Diego County.
During that time, DeMaio has relentlessly attacked fellow Republicans, pouring money into primaries and bullying candidates into conforming to a personal, politically motivated litmus test just to appear on Reform California’s voter guide — often at a steep cost to the candidate.
Unlike the Republican Party, where endorsements are made by publicly elected central committee members, Reform California’s endorsements are dictated by DeMaio alone— guided by a cadre of paid consultants.
And whom does he choose to back over Party-endorsed Republicans?
In 2024, he endorsed Tony Blain over the Republican Party’s unanimously endorsed candidate, Jared Wilson. DeMaio knew about the disturbing allegations surrounding Blain but backed him anyway — simply because Wilson and PORAC (the Peace Officers Research Association of California) didn’t support DeMaio’s Assembly campaign.
That endorsement triggered a rift with the Party. Blain, elected with Reform California’s support, was recalled within a year — after his arrest on charges including perjury and soliciting bribes.
DeMaio has also backed liberal groups. In 2024, Reform California and DeMaio’s Assembly campaign gave almost $500,000 to the Progressive California Voter Guide that attacked Republican-endorsed candidates—including President Donald Trump.
With friends like these, who needs enemies?
DeMaio-backed Republican Party Central Committee members—including a failed Oceanside treasurer candidate who was the subject of an emergency gun order and a Reform CA staffer convicted of DUI—now control the local GOP and take marching orders from DeMaio.
They’ve advocated for a “no endorsement” policy that strips the Party of its most powerful tool in primary elections. This policy is as strategic as it is hypocritical. While Reform California makes endorsements in nearly every race, the Party is silenced, giving DeMaio’s endorsements free rein. The formula is simple: the weaker the Party, the stronger Reform becomes.
That might be defensible if Reform California produced more victories and fewer tax hikes. But since Reform’s creation, the electoral results have been abysmal. He’s even backing tax-hiking Republicans like San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, who lied on her 2025 Party endorsement questionnaire. She claimed she hadn’t supported putting tax increases on the ballot when in fact she had, and still does.
Opposing tax-hiking Republicans used to be DeMaio’s calling card. Now, he sacrifices principle for political leverage with candidates who backed his allies in Party leadership contests.
Even on issues where Republicans agree — like the Voter ID initiative — DeMaio has obstructed progress.
Dating back to 2023, DeMaio raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to qualify Voter ID for the ballot. Yet in 2024, he failed to submit a single signature, despite raising at least $221,000. Worse, he diverted those funds to support his Assembly campaign—now under investigation by the FPPC for potential illegal misuse. His bait-and-switch fundraising tactics, often aimed at seniors, are unethical at best.
In 2025, DeMaio filed new paperwork claiming to lead the Voter ID signature-gathering effort. While he’s finally investing some money, the real credit belongs to Julie Luckey, whose operation has collected more than 75 percent of the required signatures and is funded by her son, tech mogul Palmer Luckey.
As long as Reform California continues to cannibalize Republican candidates and fuel fratricidal civil wars, San Diego Republicans will remain in the political wilderness.
DeMaio has a record — not of defeating Democrats — but of defeating Republicans. The last time he beat a Democrat in a general election was 2008. Since then, he’s poured millions into attacking conservatives.
As SD GOP chairman, I saw firsthand how destructive his influence had become—from bullying committee members to undermining endorsed candidates. His goal was clear: sideline the elected leadership of the Republican Party and elevate Reform California as the true power and his own self-promotion machine.
Republicans are tired of the infighting. We want to focus our energy on defeating failed Democratic leaders—not dodging grenades thrown by someone who claims to be on our side.
Until we stop enabling this chaos, we won’t win again. And that’s a tragedy—not just for Republicans, but for every San Diegan who’s desperate for a common-sense alternative to the radical vision the Democrats have forced on our communities.
Corey Gustafson is the former chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County and lives in Escondido.
Am I alone in noticing the hypocrisy in that Mr. Gustafson decries DeMaio for attacking republicans in the same article he attacks the longest serving republican woman Mayor in the county?
Mister, hypocrisy IS politics, and the voters BUY hypocrisy otherwise most people would exercise their conscience.
Especially a D2 candidate trolling with an alias.
Gustafson is looking out for his job with candidate Franklin for Supervisor. He is employed by Franklin currently as the Mayor of Vista. Hypocrisy! Franklin’s campaign took a big hit and is underwater, his opponent, Republican Rebecca Jones, is taking the lead, and Gustafson is panicking.
🚨 Carl Bot/Crony Alert 🚨
“Sam”… or should I say Mike? Or maybe just Carl?
Still no response to the facts — just the usual deflection and name-calling. Right on cue.
#BaitAndSwitch
🚨 Carl Bot/Crony Alert 🚨
“Sam”… or should I say Mike? Or maybe just Carl?
Still no response to the facts, just the usual deflection and name-calling. Right on cue
#BaitAndSwitch
says the “bot” with a made up name.
Did he mis-state the information set out in his two sentences on Jones?
First and Foremost, what’s up Corey, and thank you for all the hard work you do in the party.
I have two points to address regarding your article. I’ll leave the rest of the accusations for you two Men to sort out:
For starters, when I ran for City Council in 2024, every Republican — myself included — wanted Carl DeMaio’s Reform endorsement. The only obstacle was reaching him; he can be all over the place. But there was no litmus test, no a**kissing, no trade-offs. I actually got the endorsement because my childhood homie ran into him at the Lakeside rodeo and asked directly about me. They had a solid conversation. I later saw Carl at a couple of events, we spoke in person, and the endorsement followed. It was straightforward — just Real conversations, outside, between Real people. As for bullying, I’m sorry that was your experience, but it wasn’t mine. I will say this: we need stronger Candidates who won’t let that happen to them.
Secondly… Jared Wilson, God bless his little heart, while Pres. of the SDPOA had the nerve to have his face on the flyer of my opponent Stephen Whitburn (arguably the most Democratic, Socialistic, anti-law enforcement today, pro-Police tomorrow, politician in San Diego with an even worse track record). He even had a quote that said
“Stephen Whitburn has consistently shown his commitment to our officers and public safety. His actions ensure we have what’s necessary to protect and serve San Diego effectively.” This is the same Whitburn who removed his SDPOA endorsement during his first election.
I don’t blame Carl for not endorsing him.
I hope you guys get this situation figured out and remember: it takes Two to Ego.
Corey “I bankrupted the SDGOP” Gustafson wrote this? The Republican Party of San Diego County removed him as chairman after only six months in the role, as he was a pathological liar who led the party toward financial disaster.
The shortest serving chairman in the history of the SDGOP.
Which one do you identify more as? A Carl bot or a Carl crony? I find it telling that instead of addressing the facts, you resort to name-calling and belittling. That sounds a lot like DeMaio to me. #BaitAndSwitch
No one comes to the Void of San Diego for facts.
Oh, so you’re openly admitting you’re not telling the truth? That’s sounding more and more like Carl.
Gustafson is looking out for his job with candidate Franklin for Supervisor. He is employed by Franklin currently as the Mayor of Vista. Hypocrisy! Franklin’s campaign took a big hit and is underwater, his opponent, Republican Rebecca Jones, is taking the lead, and Gustafson is panicking.
🚨 Carl Bot/Crony Alert 🚨
“Sam”… or should I say Mike? Or maybe just Carl?
Still no response to the facts — just the usual deflection and name-calling. Right on cue.
#BaitAndSwitch
Maybe the San Diego County Republican Party keeps losing ground because San Diego County voters don’t like what their selling? It’s the political free market at work, folks.
Did you ever think you’d see a San Diego City Council where EVERY member was a Democrat?
The idea that “publicly elected Central Committee members” was a neutral body before DeMaio backed some of them is laughable.
I’ve had a ringside seat in politics long enough to know that it’s ALL about knowing the right person, scratching the right back, and otherwise selling your soul. You’re just frustrated that there’s another power player in that process.
Frankly, I don’t think I know the name of any successful republican in CA other than Carl DeMaio. The party should be thanking him since he is the only relevant republican in the entire state! The republican party has been a joke in California. Instead of complaining about him, the party members should be looking embracing his success and learning how to repeat it.