It seems there was a bit of a ruckus at the Orange County Republican Party meeting last night!
From the Mercury News:
Police were called to step in after a group of conservatives wearing orange shirts that said “RINO hunters,” with crosshairs making a target of the “O,” tried to storm a Republican Party of Orange County meeting in Costa Mesa on Monday night.
The group was led by Nick Taurus, a self-proclaimed American Nationalist who last year spearheaded a protest during a town hall for Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, that turned violent. After provocation from Taurus’ group, a Porter supporter threw a punch and was arrested.
Taurus, R-Laguna Hills, is now challenging GOP Rep. Young Kim in the CA-40 House race. He’s labeled Kim, who’s been endorsed by the OCGOP as a RINO, a derogatory name used by the far-right for more moderate politicians who they deem “Republican in name only.”
The story continues, courtesy of MSN:
The party said on Jan. 12 that because of the coronavirus surge attendance at Monday night’s OCGOP meeting — which was aimed at endorsing candidates for the 2022 election cycle — would be limited to members of the Central Committee due to the coronavirus surge.
“There are important endorsement requests that must be voted on, but we recognize the spike in covid cases across Orange County,” the announcement said. “It is important that we as a party take care of business, but we must also take care of ourselves and each other.”
But some local Republicans didn’t agree with that decision.
Photos and videos shared to social media show a couple dozen people wearing orange RINO shirts in the lobby of the building where the meeting was being held. A witness told the Register one member tried to push past people at the door, grabbing at the handle to get inside. Police then are seen directing the protestors outside, while other people are waved by and allowed into the meeting room.
The Orange County Register sums it all up nicely:
The clash reflects a growing schism in the Republican party, pitting those who strive to elect GOP candidates in purple areas like Orange County, and those on the far right, who remain fiercely loyal to former President Donald Trump.
Costa Mesa Police say they were called to the meeting at 6:39 p.m. Monday on reports that a group of about 20 demonstrators were refusing to leave the “private political meeting,” according to department spokesperson Roxi Fyad. Officers contacted the demonstrators, told them to take it to the sidewalk, and they complied, Fyad said.
Last night’s meeting was originally to be held earlier in the month, but had been postponed due to the death of Kelly Ernby, a candidate for the California 72nd Assembly District, who had died of Covid.
And for what it’s worth, here are the endorsements made at the meeting, the OC County Republicans endorsing Young Kim rather than Taurus.
California’s congressional delegation currently consists of 2 Democratic Senators, 42 Democratic Congressmen and 10 Republican members of the House of Representatives. There is also one vacancy in the California 22nd (my home district) vacated by Devin Nunes.
Any growing schism between “Establishment” Republicans and Trump supporting elements of the party could indicate a more serious divisions that could have an effect both in the 2022 midterms and the 2024 election. And it may start off small, like last night, but that’s how brush fires start too.