Letters: One party dominates California's elections

"It would be nice if we had an election with some real competition between the political parties and where the candidates are aggressively challenged and the winner is the person who provides our state with the greatest opportunities for success. For me, if a candidate has a proven track record of success, a list of commonsense and actionable solutions and the courage to do what they say they are going to do, then we shouldn't care what letter is next to their name."

"CDC data show big differences in death rates between red and blue states concerning gun violence and other leading causes of death. Red states consistently show a higher overall firearm mortality rate per 100,000 population than blue states. States with the highest total rates of gun-related deaths including murders and suicides are often red states like Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, while the lowest rates include blue states like Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York."

"Red states had higher COVID-19 death rates in 2021 compared to blue states. The disparity was bigger after vaccines became available, suggesting that lower vaccination rates in red states contributed to higher excess death rates. Life expectancy is lower in red states vs. blue states. In fact, every state (except Delaware) with a lower-than-average life expectancy voted for Donald Trump in 2024. Conclusion: CDC data suggests that the best safety move is out of Republican states."

California gubernatorial politics show limited competition, with one party dominating elections and candidates often facing little challenge; candidate qualifications such as proven success, commonsense solutions and the courage to act are emphasized over party labels. CDC data indicate significant health disparities between red and blue states: higher firearm mortality rates, greater COVID-19 death rates after vaccines became available, and lower life expectancy in red states. Several states with the highest gun-related deaths are identified as red, while states with lower death rates and higher life expectancy are identified as blue. The conclusion urges relocation away from Republican states for safety.

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