Senate primary candidate endorsement: Duf Sundheim

As the California Republican Party chairman who helped engineer the party’s resounding gubernatorial victories in 2003 and 2006, Duf Sundheim has the political experience and broad appeal necessary to represent California in the U.S. Senate.

Although the board supports Kamala Harris in the general election, Sundheim has earned this board’s endorsement as the Republican candidate in the 2016 U.S. Senate primary election because of his commitment to college affordability and progressive stance on social issues.

Sundheim seeks to change the way the University of California operates by advocating the restoration of state funding for the UC and cutting down administrative bloat. In office, he plans to work with UC chancellors to implement new technology and reassert the value of a university education.

The board also commends him for his progressive stances on social issues, including his support for abortion rights, same-sex marriage and a pathway to legalization for undocumented immigrants.

Furthermore, during his time as the state party’s chairman, he helped win over Democratic and independent voters in Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successive electoral victories, proving that he has the bipartisan appeal necessary to act effectively in the Senate.

Sundheim’s Republican primary opponents Tom Del Beccaro and Ron Unz simply cannot match his electoral success, nor do their more extreme conservative positions across the board hold much potential for success in an already historically gridlocked Senate.

If elected, the board hopes Sundheim will use his broad political appeal and ideas to advocate for college affordability and help shift the national Republican Party’s stances on social issues.