You Decide: A California Republican Party Investigation
Is our California Republican Party leadership—both at the state level and in county GOP chairs—working for the Democratic Party?
Our ongoing investigative journalism piece, "You Decide," has uncovered surprising, concerning, and even shocking details that raise a fundamental question among California Republican voters and candidates:
Is our California Republican Party leadership—both at the state level and in county GOP chairs—working for the Democratic Party, whether intentionally or not?
The evidence we've gathered paints a troubling picture of a party that appears disconnected from its own interests and suspiciously close to its political opponents.
The Property Ownership Gap
What We Found
Our investigation revealed a stark disparity in how California's major political parties establish their presence in the state capital. We could locate no public records showing that the California Republican Party owns any property or office space in California. While they maintain rental agreements, there is no evidence of outright ownership.
This stands in sharp contrast to the California Democratic Party, which owns both its modern, spacious headquarters and the land it occupies. The Democrats aren't alone—their powerful political allies, including the California Teachers Association, the County Supervisors Association of California, and the Association of California School Administrators, all own their office buildings and land outright.
A National Comparison
This ownership gap isn't inevitable. Smaller and less funded Republican Party organizations in other states routinely own their headquarters:
State GOP Offices:
Maine Republican Party: 9 Higgins Street, Augusta, ME
Nebraska Republican Party: 1610 N Street, Lincoln, NE
Republican Party of Arkansas: 1201 6th Street, Little Rock, AR
County GOP Offices:
Marion County Republican Party: 146 Center Street, Marion, OH
Republican Party of Saline County: 125 Market Street, Benton, AR
Caldwell County Republican Party: Lenoir, NC
North Carolina Republican Party: Raleigh, NC
So why is California different?
The Headquarters Mystery
California Republican Party: Renting in the Shadows
The California Republican Party's publicly listed address—1001 K Street, Suite 4, Sacramento, CA 95814—appears to be an office condominium owned by a private individual or entity, possibly a CPA firm, law office, or another undisclosed party. The ownership is not listed under the party's name.
Property Details:
Assessed Value: $14,887,057 (2024)
Property Type: Office Building (8 stories, built 1913/renovated 1983)
Building Square Footage: 94,911
Most recent ownership transfer: February 28, 2022
Why the secrecy around ownership? Why does California's Republican Party operate from an unknown-owner space when their counterparts nationwide own their headquarters?
California Democratic Party: Ownership and Independence
Meanwhile, the California Democratic Party operates from a welcoming, modern, spacious, accessible building at 1830 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811—which they own outright.
Property Details:
Owner: California Democratic Party (publicly listed)
Assessed Value: $1,002,035 (2024)
Purchase Price: $830,000 (2013)
Property Type: Retail/Office Building
Building Square Footage: 10,800
Land: 0.41 acres (17,987 sq ft)
The Democrats bought their headquarters for $830,000 in 2013, establishing a permanent, independent base of operations.
A Troubling Geographic Pattern
Perhaps most concerning is our Republican Party's choice of location. Their headquarters sits less than one minute's walk from the California Teachers Association (CTA) office—one of the state's most powerful Democratic-aligned lobbying forces.
Distance Analysis:
California Republican Party to CTA: Less than 1-minute walk
California Democratic Party to CTA: 16-minute walk
Even more telling, several major Democratic-aligned organizations are located closer to Republican headquarters than to Democratic headquarters:
Organizations Within One Block of GOP Headquarters:
California Faculty Association: 1110 K Street
County Supervisors Association of California: 1100 K Street
Association of California School Administrators: 1029 J Street
United Domestic Workers AFSCME Local 3930: 900 J Street
UC Regents Sacramento Office: 1127 11th Street
Every one of these well-funded, influential Democratic-leaning organizations owns its building and land outright.
The Central Question
Our investigation reveals a pattern that demands explanation:
California's Republican Party rents or works from a space in a building of unknown ownership
They've chosen a location surrounded by well-funded Democratic-aligned organizations
Their Democratic counterparts and allied groups all own their properties outright
Smaller and less funded Republican parties in other states and counties routinely own their headquarters
We present the facts. You decide.
Is our California Republican Party leadership—at both the state and county level—truly working in the best interests of you and me, the Republican voters, or are they, knowingly or unknowingly, serving the interests of the Democratic Party?
The evidence suggests a party leadership at the state and county GOP level that has failed to establish the independence and permanence that effective political organizations require. Whether through incompetence or intent, California Republicans appear to be operating at a severe disadvantage—one that their own choices have created.