California Republicans Move Into Spotlight, With Prospect Of Crowning Trump

Donald Trump has called himself the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. But he can't become the real presumptive nominee without first gaining a lot of votes in the California primary on June 7 – the last day of voting on the GOP primary calendar.

It's the first time in decades that California will make a difference in picking the GOP nominee. That's why all three remaining candidates will be speaking at the California Republican Party's convention, which begins Friday.

California Republicans aren't used to all this attention. Just 27.6 percent of California voters are registered with the party. Though few in numbers, they may become mighty in impact. California will be Donald Trump's last chance to either win the delegates he needs to clinch, or fall short and fight it out at the national GOP convention in Cleveland in July.

"It's very exciting for California to actually have a voice," said Jim Brulte, the chairman of the state Republican Party. Though California has become reliably Democratic in presidential contests, he says that the enthusiasm generated at this weekend's convention could have dividends for California Republicans down the line and down the ballot.

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