California’s Vanishing Middle: A Warning to Every Californian Who Still Believes in Fair Representation

​By Gene D. Johnson Jr., Chair, Republican Party of Merced County

California is bleeding out—and the wound is self-inflicted.

Over 4 million residents have left the state since 2000, including a disproportionate number of Republicans, middle-income families, and business owners. These aren’t just statistics. These are teachers, builders, veterans, and entrepreneurs—people who once believed California was worth fighting for.

Today, Republicans make up over 25% of California’s electorate, yet hold just 9 out of 52 congressional seats. If Governor Newsom’s redistricting scheme succeeds, that number could drop to just 4 seats, leaving millions of conservative Californians with less than 8% representation in Congress. That’s not democracy—it’s disenfranchisement.

But the crisis goes deeper than politics.

💼 Businesses Are Fleeing

California’s high taxes, regulatory overreach, and anti-growth policies have driven out thousands of businesses. From tech startups to family farms, employers are relocating to states like Texas, Florida, and Arizona—taking jobs, innovation, and tax revenue with them.

🏚️ Cities in Decline

Once-thriving cities like San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles are now symbols of urban decay. Homeless encampments, rising crime, and collapsing infrastructure have replaced opportunity and pride. The middle class is vanishing, and in its place, California is becoming a state of elites and the impoverished.

🧬 Who’s Left Behind?

·     The ultra-wealthy, insulated from the consequences of their own policies

·     The poor, trapped in cycles of dependency and unaffordable housing

·     The politically loyal, clinging to ideology even as their quality of life erodes

Even many Democrats are quietly leaving, disillusioned by the very system they once supported. They may not say it out loud, but they’re voting with their feet.

⚠️ The Future If We Stay Silent

Democrats will have everything they want. Republicans will be left with scraps not even dogs would eat. Your children will receive the worst education while Gavin Newsom’s children and grandchildren enjoy elite private schooling. Your families will be packed into government housing plagued by violence and rats. Your energy costs will soar so high, you’ll be forced to huddle together on bedbug-ridden mattresses just to stay warm. You’ll be stealing water to survive while Sacramento drowns in luxury.

🛑 This Is Not Sustainable

California was once a beacon of opportunity. Now it risks becoming a cautionary tale—a state where representation is rigged, prosperity is gated, and the American Dream is outsourced.

We must speak up. We must organize. We must remind every Californian—regardless of party—that fair representation, economic mobility, and community dignity are not partisan issues. They are American values.

Let’s build the brick houses of truth, one voter at a time. VOTE NO ON PROP 50.