California Congress of Republicans – Press Release

For Immediate Release
Date 05/09/2005

Contact: Carl Burton, President CCR

CCR phone 916-359-5741

Email carl@ccrgop.org

California Congress of Republicans Supports Governor’s Reform Package

Carl Burton, President of the California Congress of Republicans, released the following statement today while People’s Advocate turned in nearly forty thousand signed petitions at the Sacramento Register of voters office; “CCR, at its recent convention in Fresno, passed a resolution in support of the Governor’s reform package.”

“The delegates gave their strongest support to the People’s Advocate redistricting initiative, joining Governor Schwarzenegger and Common Cause in recognizing the present system is broken and needs reform.”

Burton said, “The election results in 2004 are the latest evidence to refute the lie that fair election districts can be drawn by our state legislature.”  The present plan was approved by the legislature in 2000 and signed into law by Governor Gray Davis.  Out of the 153 legislative races in California, not one changed party hands in the general election.  The Republicans won all the carved out districts for Republican candidates and the Democrats won all of theirs.

“CCR will work with Governor Schwarzenegger and the People’s Advocate to pass the redistricting initiative this fall in a special election.” Burton stated, “Our members up and down the state of California will work to make sure it passes.  We believe the election process should be open for all candidates and political parties.”

CCR is the largest moderate Republican organization in California and was the first (and only) statewide Republican organization to endorse Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was running for governor in 2003.

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