GOP leaders slam Maienschein for party switch
Assemblyman Brian Maienschein’s announcement Thursday he is switching from being a Republican to a Democrat is not going down well with leaders of his former party.
“Brian Maienschein has shown himself to be the absolute worst kind of politician; someone making decisions based on politics instead of principles,’’ said Tony Krvaric, chairman of the county Republican Party. “By running for re-election (last November) as a Republican, he was making a statement about who he was and now he is switching parties for self-preservation and political games.”
Assembly Republican leader Marie Waldron called Maienschein a “turncoat.”
“It’s unfortunate that Brian’s takeaway from his extremely close reelection was that his political future depended on becoming a turncoat. Unfortunately some people run for office simply because they want a job, regardless of political philosophy,” Waldron said in a statement. “It appears that Brian falls into this category.”
In a statement regarding his re-registration, Maienschein issued a rebuke to a political party he feels has become too partisan, specifically mentioning President Donald Trump. However, the former San Diego city councilman also stated that his policy positions have changed, noting his support for labor unions, universal healthcare and a belief that the safety of local communities should be held above the right to own automatic weapons.
Maienschien, whose 77th District includes Poway, Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch, narrowly won re-election in November, defeating Democratic challenger Sunday Gover by a margin of 50.2 percent to 49.8 percent.
Maienschein, a Poway High School graduate and Carmel Mountain Ranch resident, was one of the last Republicans representing San Diego County in the Assembly, leaving Marie Waldron, R-Escondido, and Randy Voepel, R-Santee, in that position.
Local Republicans argued Maienschein’s move invalidates his re-election, with Waldron calling him a turncoat, according to The Associated Press. The Republican Party of San Diego County went a step further, calling for Maienschein’s immediate resignation.
Maienschein’s re-registration further strengthens Democrats’ vast supermajority in the Assembly, which now totals 61 of the chamber’s 80 seats.
“Leaving the Republican Party is not easy,” Maienschein said. “I can either keep fighting to change the Republican Party or I can fight for my constituents. I choose to use my energy and skills for the people I represent.”
The last time a local politician changed parties was in 2013, when Nathan Fletcher, then a candidate for San Diego mayor, announced he was leaving the Republican Party and becoming an independent. Fletcher had represented inland North County in the Assembly from 2008 to 2012. He became an independent after the county Republican Party endorsed Rancho Bernardo resident Carl DeMaio for mayor. Fletcher later switched to the Democratic Party and last November was elected to a seat on the nonpartisan county Board of Supervisors.
- City News Service, with additional reporting by Steve Dreyer.
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