San Diego-area Republican senators Joel Anderson and Patricia Bates, and Assemblywoman Marie Waldron were among the most conservative in California, according to ratings released Thursday.
The American Conservative Union said the ratings were based on votes taken during the 2016 legislative session.
Among the issues were the minimum wage, gun registration, health benefits and scholarships for people living in California illegally, and a cap on campaign contributions.
Anderson and Bates were in line with the ACU 94 percent and 91 percent of the time, respectively. Anderson represents San Diego’s East County. Bates is based in Orange County, but her district dips down the northern San Diego County coastline.
Waldron, who represents parts of inland northern San Diego and southwestern Riverside counties, received an 81 percent.
Overall, state Senators casted 35 percent of their votes in a conservative manner, according to the ACU. Republican senators were 90 percent overall and Democrats 7 percent.
Among Assembly members, they voted in a conservative manner 32 percent of the time, with Republicans at 77 percent and Democrats at 8 percent.
“This year’s scorecard reveals not only a clear divide among Republicans and Democrats, but shows exactly who is most willing to stand up for the conservative principles of life, liberty and property,” said ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp. “The fight for limited government is never an easy task, especially in California, but conservatives can count on this year’s class of award winners to stand up to the left’s ever-growing radical agenda.”
Legislative Republicans were divided on welfare expansion, occupational licensing, price controls and property rights, the ACU said. On the other hand, they stood together in opposing the $15 minimum wage hike, greater unemployment compensation, and gun rights.
Other scores from the ACU:
- Then Sen. Marty Block, D-San Diego, 6 percent.
- Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, 9 percent.
- Then-Assemblywoman and current Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, 5 percent.
- Assemblyman Rocky Chavez, R-Oceanside, 70 percent.
- Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, 8 percent.
- Former Assemblyman Brian Jones, R-Santee, 78 percent.
- Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, R-San Diego, 56 percent.
- And Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, 7 percent.
The ACU marks for nearly all the San Diego representatives were down from 2015.
— City News Service
