The Donald Trump campaign named 169 California delegates on Monday, including such high-profile names as billionaire Peter Thiel and several legislators.
The somewhat reclusive Thiel is listed as a Trump delegate for the 12th congressional district, which includes downtown San Francisco. The PayPal co-founder, a libertarian, had given to a SuperPAC that supported former candidate Carly Fiorina, a former executive for tech company Hewlett-Packard. In 2012, he supported Ron Paul, supported Ted Cruz’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Texas, and is known to back libertarian causes.
Trump California political director Tim Clark told Breitbart News last month that the Trump campaign was sifting through a list of 1,000 Californians hoping to serve as Trump delegates at the Republican National convention in July. He confirmed on Monday night that the campaign had vetted the list. Clark added that some of the delegates were also listed as delegates for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), but that those individuals have indicated a commitment as Trump delegates.
The Ted Cruz campaign also submitted a list of delegates to the California Secretary of State, though Cruz has withdrawn from the race.
Californians will begin voting by mail Tuesday, and final votes will be cast on the June 7 primary day. While California is a “jungle primary” state, in which primary voters can vote for candidates from all parties on a single ballot, for the presidential election in California the primary is “closed,” i.e. restricted to registered members of a particular party.
Trump will be awarded three delegates for each congressional district that he wins. Those delegates have been chosen by the campaign in the list released Monday.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy is also listed as a Trump delegate for his own district in Bakersfield. In March, McCarthy asserted that Trump would help the Republican Party, and not hurt it as some have indicated. He referenced the fact that voter turnout in the first nine Republican primary elections was up from the 2008 presidential primary. Trump took some credit last October for McCarthy dropping out of the race to replace Rep. John Boehner as Speaker of the House.
Rep. Darrell Issa is also listed as a Trump delegate for his San Diego-area district. Issa previously supported Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) who dropped out after a crushing loss to Trump in the senator’s home state of Florida.
James Lacy is listed as an At-Large Trump delegate. He is a frequent guest on Varney and Company on Fox News; author of Taxifornia; served in both the first Bush and Reagan administrations; and was co-founding director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
California State Senator Joel Anderson also came on board as an advocate for Trump before Cruz dropped out of the race. Anderson is listed as a delegate for the 50th congressional district.
Dr. Gina Loudon, author and frequent commentator on Fox News, is listed alongside former Missouri state Senator John Loudon as a Trump delegate for the 51st district.
Business and real estate mogul “Papa Doug” Manchester is listed as a Trump delegate in the 52nd district. He has been involved in several hotel resort properties, and for a brief stint owned and operated the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
Correction: Tthe David Horowitz who appears on the delegate list is not David Horowitz of the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
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