Locals attend training to help Republicans win elections

GOP delegates and volunteers showed up Saturday for a training session in Monterey.

The fireworks at the national level are bringing in new faces and getting more people involved on the Central Coast.

“I think this is our year and we’re as excited as we could possibly be,” said Nan Lesnick, chairmen of Monterey County Republican Central Committee.

It was packed house inside the Monterey County Republican party headquarters.

“People are interested and they’re going to turn out to vote,” said Susan Allen, chair of Santa Cruz County republican party.

Dozens of people came out to learn how to pitch in for the party.

“Doesn’t do any good to be mad and stay home,” said Lesnick.

Attendees learned how to do everything from using voter registry information to supporting candidates.

“A lot of education, a lot to learn about this election cycle and how to run a good organization,” said chair of the San Benito Republican Party Peter Hernandez.

They’re rallying behind candidates to fill positions in Washington, Sacramento and here on the Central Coast, from King City to north Monterey County.

“We have some huge unknown names coming up,” said Sierra Roberts, state assembly district 29 candidate. “Casie Lucius whose running for the congressional district, another young woman.”

Republicans we talked to expressed mixed feelings about the slugfest that’s going on between the GOP candidates in the battle for the presidential nomination.

Disheartening and a little bit disenchanting for a lot of people to be quite honest,” said Georgia Acosta, GOP candidate for State Assembly for District 30.

Some believe the party is moving in the right direction and say they support Trump as the front runner.

“Definitely he’d be preferable to Hilary and Sanders so I’d be OK with that,” said volunteer James Armstrong.