Against Trump’s wishes, Calif. Young Republicans group endorses Democrat

In an unexpected move, a group of young Republicans endorsed a Democrat running in their Central Valley district instead of his Donald Trump-endorsed opponent. That bold move could cost that local chapter its official standing. 

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Last week, the Madera Young Republicans endorsed Rep. Adam Gray, the incumbent Democrat who has represented California’s 13th Congressional District since winning the seat in 2024. The endorsement was spotted by an online poll tracker, which showed a screen capture of the group’s Instagram post. 

In response the California Young Republicans, the state’s umbrella organization, said it would take swift action against the satellite group. It said the move was an “egregious” violation of its bylaws, which prohibits member chapters from endorsing Democrats.

“We have initiated a formal disciplinary proceedings against the Madera chapter, including the beginning stages of disbandment and dischartering providers to remove this chapter from our organization,” a statement from the California Young Republicans said.

The group denounced the endorsement, calling it an action that “fundamentally betrays the conservative principles” of the organization. 

They continued that the “the decision to endorse a Democrat demonstrates a complete abandonment of the mission and values that define us as an organization dedicated to electing Republican candidates and preserving conservative ideals throughout California.”

Gray is not just any Democrat in California. He leans more towards the middle of the political spectrum, and on several occasions, he has split from his own party. He was notably the sole Democrat from California, and just one of 13 Democrats total, to vote to end the government shutdown last year, a move that signaled he is willing to compromise with Republicans to bring necessary funding, such as SNAP benefits and promised healthcare funding, to constituents. 

It’s unclear why the Madera Young Republicans diverged from the statewide organization, which endorsed Gray’s Republican opponent, Kevin Lincoln. 

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Lincoln, a former military officer, won the endorsement of President Donald Trump and other major Republican figures, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and four other Republican congressmen, both current and former, in California. Lincoln also has the support of the Republican Party of Madera County. 

SFGATE reached out to the Madera GOP for comment but did not hear back before the time of publication. Contact information and social media pages for the Madera Young Republicans group are no longer publicly available. The Fresno Bee reported that the group no longer had a social media presence as of last Wednesday.

Gray flipped the Fresno-area seat in 2024, which includes Merced, San Joaquin, Madera, Fresno and Stanislaus counties, by unseating one-term Republican incumbent John Duarte. He notably won by just 187 votes. The district has become more Democratic since redistricting, but it is still looked at as a purple, battleground district. 

A spokesperson for Rep. Adam Gray said in an emailed statement to SFGATE that Gray welcomes any and all bipartisan support.

“Congressman Gray welcomes the support of Republicans, Democrats, and independent voters,” the spokesperson said. “The people of the Valley expect their representative to work with anyone when it means making life better for the communities we serve.”