California GOP chair bows out after bruising election — and this Republican Party heavyweight could be her successor

California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin announced in an email she will not seek another term — as leaders launch a dramatic shake-up after bruising midterm election losses that further diminished the minority party’s power in Sacramento.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Assemblyman Carl DeMaio are backing outgoing state Sen. Tony Strickland, who is expected to announce his candidacy imminently to lead the state GOP, sources familiar with the discussions told The California Post.

Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for governor in this year’s election, told The Post that he would also back Strickland if he enters the race.

“Tony and I have worked closely together for years, and I strongly support anything he chooses to do,” Hilton said.

“As I’ve said since election night, one way or another, I’m fully committed to the long-term fight to turn California around and I look forward very much to working with Tony on whatever he chooses to do.”

Strickland, who lost his reelection fight this month to represent Huntington Beach in the state Senate, chaired Hilton’s campaign for governor. Before his most recent term, he served past stints in the state Senate and state Assembly, before serving as a mayor and councilmember for Huntington Beach.

Rankin announced her decision not to seek another term leading the state party in a letter to party delegates Wednesday, defending her fundraising and organizational record while warning that competing organizations and disconnected efforts were undermining the party’s ability to win. KCRA first reported Rankin’s decision.

“After considerable reflection, I have decided that I will not seek reelection as Chairwoman of the California Republican Party,” Rankin wrote.

“The recent election results have reinforced something I have said consistently throughout my chairmanship: our future success depends not only on raising more money or working harder, but on fundamentally changing how we work together.”

DeMaio, who led the unsuccessful state ballot measure for stricter voter ID laws, and state GOP officials have sparred for years over how best to raise and spend money to support candidates and ballot measures. A Strickland chairmanship, backed by DeMaio and Hilton, could offer an opportunity to settle those lingering disputes.

Other names being discussed as potential contenders include former Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher, state party treasurer Jack Guerrero and David Serpa, according to the source.

Rankin will finish her term in late February, when delegates will elect a successor during the party’s convention in Sacramento.

Strickland’s emerging support suggests the transition could keep familiar Republican figures at the center of the party’s leadership rather than produce a sweeping overhaul. Rankin singled him out as a potential successor in her letter.

“We have many talented leaders in our party, such as Tony Strickland, who can take up this mantle and lead the California Republican Party into the future,” Rankin wrote.

Her announcement detailed investments in party infrastructure and offered a pointed assessment of how California Republicans operate. Raising more money and working harder will not be enough, she said.

“We must move beyond competing organizations and disconnected efforts toward a unified, coordinated strategy that puts winning ahead of everything else,” Rankin wrote.

Rankin said the party raised nearly $26 million during her leadership, expanded its donor network and strengthened relationships with the White House, Republican National Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee.

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She also credited her team with expanding statewide voter data capabilities, developing new technology and creating a precinct-level volunteer program.

California’s delegation raised more than $800,000 at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas, Rankin wrote, describing it as the highest fundraising total among state delegations.

Matt Klink, owner and president of Klink Campaigns, told The California Post that the GOP needs a “complete reboot and a better understanding of California voters” after what he called a “disastrous 2026 election cycle.”

“Longtime one-party governance isn’t helping California — and that’s the opportunity for the GOP,” Klink said, “but only if they really understand why they lost and are prepared to make meaningful changes going forward.