Fiorina may be Calif. native, but some doubt she can swing the state to Cruz
BURLINGAME, Calif. — When Carly Fiorina speaks to the California Republican Party convention at a hotel outside San Francisco airport, it will be a homecoming of sorts for the newly minted vicepresidential candidate.
Fiorina grew up in the Bay Area and became chief executive officer of Hewlett Packard there before plunging into politics with an unsuccessful run against Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2010. But this is no usual Republican presidential primary, and Fiorina’s appearance won’t quite be the return of a favorite daughter.
She’s running on a ticket with Sen. Ted Cruz, who’s mathematically eliminated from becoming the GOP presidential nominee unless the Republican National Convention is contested. Fiorina left Cali- fornia for Virginia shortly after losing her Senate race and didn’t pay several California operatives for years, until she was running for president herself this winter .
Fiorina’s former home state is assuming outsized importance this primary season. Normally an afterthought in the presidential nominating contest, California’s 172 delegates that are up for grabs on June 7 may decide whether Donald Trump becomes the party’s nominee or if Cruz still has a shot to take the title on a second ballot at the Republican National Convention in July. Vicepresidential selections rarely move votes in a general election, but Trump opponents are hopeful Fiorina can help Cruz in the Golden State’s primary.
Cruz spoke to the state party convention Saturday afternoon — Fiorina was to speak that night — and highlighted his running mate, saying she’d be the first Californian on a national ticket since Reagan, although she lives in Virginia, home to many national political aspirants. Still, his references drew cheers, and when he asked attendees if they knew why he picked Fiorina, one shouted, “Because she’s good!”
Still, Fiorina disappointed some Republicans in California. GOP strategist Matt Rexroad was leaning toward Cruz but said the selection of Fiorina makes him question whether he’ll support the Texan senator.
Rexroad allowed that Fiorina will be popular among the party faithful at the convention. But that group is a tiny minority of Republicans who’ll vote on June 7. “That isn’t necessarily reflective of the electorate,” he said.