GOP Takes Back California's 'Surf City USA' in Strong Rebuke of 'Newsom and His Policies' [WATCH]

Huntington Beach, a coastal city long known for its surfing culture and proximity to Los Angeles, has undergone a sharp political shift over the past two years—re-emerging as a Republican stronghold after a brief period of Democratic control.

Once seen as a bellwether for California’s leftward political trend, the city has now moved firmly in the opposite direction, with its conservative-led council pursuing policies that diverge sharply from those in Sacramento.

The city, nicknamed “Surf City USA,” had been controlled by Democrats after the 2020 elections, a change many observers viewed as a reflection of California’s broader political realignment.

That changed in 2022 when three conservative candidates defeated their liberal rivals, flipping the city council and returning Republicans to power.

State Senator Tony Strickland, who previously served as the city’s 85th mayor, said the resurgence of conservative leadership in Huntington Beach was a deliberate rejection of progressive policies.

“If you want to be successful, do the opposite,” Strickland told the Daily Mail, referring to the city’s approach compared to state-level governance.

Strickland said the city has focused on homelessness and public safety but has done so in ways distinct from statewide initiatives.

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“We enforce our homelessness, our encampment laws. We don’t think it’s compassionate to leave someone on the ground or having urine and feces on the street,” he said.

“We give the law enforcement the tools they need, to enforce our homelessness.”

According to Strickland, homelessness in Huntington Beach has declined by 24 percent, even as other cities across California report increases.

He also said the city’s crime rate has fallen since conservatives regained control of the council.

“We prosecute small crimes,” he said.

“We don’t let that go.”

Strickland, who has been vocal in his opposition to Governor Gavin Newsom’s policies, said the city is prepared to continue challenging Sacramento on key issues.

“I think we’re one leader away from prosperity in California,” he said.

“But the only one that’s messing it up is Gavin Newsom and his policies.”

HUNTINGTON BEACH: Lots of Trump supporters gathering to protest against Gavin Newsom’s stay at home orders. #Huntington pic.twitter.com/LjD7KCmtTP

— Jamie (@jamiewritess) December 6, 2020

Helicopters patrolling Huntington Beach ordering people indoors. Is this America? pic.twitter.com/YxdSSfhqq3

— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) May 3, 2020

BREAKING: The City Council of Huntington Beach, California, just voted to defy Gavin Newsom & designate themselves as a “NON-sanctuary city” to allow President Trump & ICE to conduct massive deportation raids.

“We are not going to be violating federal immigration laws… pic.twitter.com/QapUF62pNB

— George (@BehizyTweets) January 22, 2025

🚨The Huntington Beach City Council has voted approve a declaration to BAN universal mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the city.

Is California Healing?! pic.twitter.com/hHAGvxp2fP

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 7, 2023

The latest flashpoint between Huntington Beach and the state government is a dispute over housing mandates.

City officials have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the state’s requirement that local governments approve more high-density housing projects.

Strickland said the state’s plan would fundamentally change the city’s suburban character.

“What they want to do in Sacramento is force urban living,” he said.

“People who live in Huntington Beach like the suburban, coastal community. What the housing mandate that came from the state of California was—they want to urbanize pretty much all of suburban California.”

According to city officials, the state’s plan includes a proposal to construct 50 high-rise apartment complexes across Huntington Beach, which Strickland said the community overwhelmingly opposes.

“That’s not what our citizens want, and we’re pushing back and we’re going to court,” he said.

Councilmember Butch Twining, who was elected during the 2022 political shift, echoed those concerns.

A lifelong resident of Huntington Beach, Twining said the cost of land and development makes the state’s housing targets unrealistic.

“It’s extremely difficult to build affordable units in Huntington Beach,” he told the Daily Mail.

“We’re going to have to either displace residents or businesses to meet the intent of what Sacramento is trying to do.”

Twining cited voter registration data showing roughly 57,000 Republicans in the city, compared to about 41,000 Democrats and 6,600 independents, as evidence that the community continues to lean strongly conservative.

“Republicans outnumber the Democrats significantly in this town,” he said.

Before the current council majority was dubbed the “MAGA-nificent 7,” the earlier conservative bloc—known locally as the “Fab 4”—included Strickland, Casey McKeon, Gracey Larrea-Van Der Mark, and Pat Burns, who now serves as mayor.

When four council seats opened due to term limits, the group mobilized quickly to recruit new candidates.

“They won significantly—it was a massacre,” Twining said.

“It wasn’t that anybody hated the four people that were termed out, they were just Democrats and they did what Democrats did. It was all about social issues, and people in Huntington Beach got tired of it.”

Twining and fellow councilmembers Chad Williams and Don Kennedy filled the open seats, solidifying Republican control.

“Huntington Beach proves that conservative leadership works,” Strickland said.