That may sound like four crazy words, but history says it's not so crazy after all. The Democrats have only won a majority of the vote in California  during a presidential election four times since the FDR-Truman years, out of a total of 13 elections. Three of those majority victories were the last three presidential elections -- 1996, 2000, and 2004. The other was Johnston in 1964. Prior to Johnston's victory, Wilson's 1916 victory is the only other Democratic Party victory in California's presidential vote since the 19th Century (and even then, the Democrats managed only four other victories in the entire time since California became a state.

Even during the liberal hysteria that swept much of the country through the 1960's and 1970's while "flower-children" and leftist radicals flocked to California, our party managed to keep winning California election after election. Bill Clinton couldn't manage a majority in 1992, and had to accept a plurality.

Our party has a long history of dominating California during presidential elections over the last 50+ years. We've elected 15 of the 19 governors elected after the 19th Century, including 3 of the last 4 (meaning we dominated through the Clinton years and only gave it up briefly to Ray Davis before he was recalled by voters). Democrats rely on winning a thin strip of voters straight down the coastline, and we take the rest.

More than a quarter of California's population is foreign-born. Over 35% of the population is Latino or Hispanic. African-Americans make up only about 7% of the population. Women make up half of the population. California also has a large percentage of gay residents. In these numbers are some of the keys to recent Democratic Party success in California, but also the keys to our party's retaking of the state.

The immigration issue was such a force in the 2006 mid-term elections that the winning Democratic Party margin can largely be found in the overwhelming rise in support for the Democrats within the Hispanic voting population. Our party tried desperately to use this issue, but it backfired and could be the single issue that really cost us our majority in Congress, even more than the war issue. John McCain can remove this problem our party has developed with Hispanic voters, especially if Mike Huckabee campaigns for him in California among the Hispanic communities. Sarah Palin also can reach out to these voters as a mother and a churchgoer. Palin can also help with female voters in the state, if she focuses on family issues and particularly the role of women in the workplace and in taking more leadership roles in government. Cutting into the Democratic margins among female and Hispanic voters will go a long way toward eroding the Democratic majority in the state. If our party can successfully challenge the Democrats in California this election, we can not only retain the White House, but also bring California back into the GOP fold.