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Former California GOP legislative leader changes to no party

Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley said he switched to no party preference earlier this week.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A former Republican leader in California's state Assembly is dropping his party affiliation, saying he's tired of the political bickering. 

Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley, east of Los Angeles, said he switched to no party preference on Monday and pulled papers Thursday to run for re-election as an independent next year in California's 42nd District. Mayes becomes the second former California Republican to switch parties after Assemblyman Brian Maienschein left the party and registered as a Democrat at the start of the year.

Mayes gave up his leadership post after cooperating with Democrats in 2017 and founded a group called New Way California last year to back conservatives who no longer feel at home in the GOP. Fallout was swift, with the California Republican Party board of directors unanimously rescinding its endorsement.

The New Wave is described on Twitter as a collection of "Republicans & Centrists committed to problem solving and civility." On its website, the group says they'll work and collaborate "to advance solutions on issues that are important to all Californians."

“It’s frustrating to watch Republicans defend whatever it is the President does. It’s also frustrating to watch Democrats attack virtually everything the President does, instead of thinking, ‘Is this a good policy or not a good policy?’” said Mayes, of Yucca Valley. 

“At some point you go, ‘It doesn’t make a lot of sense for me to keep banging my head against the wall.’” 

Republicans will likely field a candidate to run against Mayes next year, the Riverside County Republican Party Chair told the Desert Sun. And state party leaders seemed determined to exact revenge after endorsing Mayes’ reelection just a few weeks ago.

“Chad has let the Republican Party down just as he let down the voters of California,” the state party’s Board of Directors said in a statement. “We are confident that a Republican will win that seat in November.”

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