A red-meat rallying cry for national Republicans: California

Adam Laxalt, the Republican candidate for governor of Nevada, knows how to rile up a crowd this election season: Just point to the state to the west.

“Are we going to keep Nevada the Nevada we all love, this independent Western state, or are we going to turn into California?” Laxalt asked at a rally in Elko with President Donald Trump on Saturday.

Trump jumped in a moment later, assailing California’s embrace of sanctuary cities, where local authorities limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. “By the way, a lot of people in California don’t want them, either,” he said of such cities. “They’re rioting now.” (Actually, they are not).

It is not only in Nevada. California would seem to be on the ballot in a number of states where Republicans are facing tough re-election battles this fall. In Nevada, Texas, Colorado and Florida, California is being hoisted as a symbol of high taxes, liberal social policy, lax immigration enforcement and an interventionist government run amok. The state figures in laugh lines and attack lines wielded by candidates for the House and Senate, for governor and for state legislative seats.

California has been a favorite object for political mockery since the days of the Free Speech Movement in Berkeley and Flower Power in Haight-ashbury. But the attacks have escalated to a new level this year, as California has emerged as the blue face of opposition to Trump and his policies.

On top of that, some Republicans, with their variations on the “Don’t let Nevada/texas/ Florida/colorado turn into California” line, appear to be appealing to former Californians who have fled to their states in search of lower taxes and less government, and presumably would be receptive to an I-hate-california appeal.

There was a time when East Coast states filled this role. But since the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy, Massachusetts (or as it was called in Republican circles, “Taxachusetts”) is no longer as inviting a target as it once was. Republicans also have a harder time pointing to New York as a symbol of liberal excess when its most prominent resident now occupies the White House.

With immigration looming as a key issue in this election cycle,

ALEX GOODLETT / AP President Donald Trump shakes hands with Nevada Republican governor candidate Adam Laxalt Saturday at a campaign rally in Elko. Laxalt has been lambasting his Democratic opponent, Steve Sisolak, saying his election will turn Nevada into another California. It’s a line that’s being used by plenty of Republican candidates nationwide this election cycle.