The "Conscience" of the Republican Party as Described by President Reagan

Interview with Domenic Santangelo, President of the Shasta County Republican Assembly

SCRA President, Domenic Santangelo with former Redding Vice-Mayor, Mark Mezanno

Domenic Santangelo has been the president of the Shasta County Republican Assembly (SCRA) since January 2023.  He and his wife, Patricia, relocated to the Shasta County area in the 2019 time-frame after he retired from a successful career with the State of California’s California Conservation Corp, where he was the Director of the Camp located near San Luis Obispo. This was not their first stint in the Shasta area.  He and Patricia resided here in the Mid-1990s and lived in Cottonwood.

Domenic and Patricia were both actively engaged in following local conservative politics.  It was in the 2020/2021 time-frame when he and several other civic-minded citizens began meeting to discuss restarting the Shasta County chapter of the California Republican Assembly.  In January 2023, Domenic was elected to be the President of the Chapter. 

Today, the chapter boasts approximately 50 members and they meet the first Thursday of every month in the chapel at Shasta Bible College.  What members like about the SCRA is that everyone has a vote that directly impacts who the SCRA endorses.  Members feel that the SCRA, through its endorsements, influences election outcomes.   During Domenic’s tenure he has seen the interest and membership of the SCRA grow.

What is the SCRA?

The SCRA is a local chapter formed under the California Republican Assembly (CRA).  The mission statement and statement of beliefs of the SCRA can be found at: https://www.shastacra.com/.  The documents for the local chapter mirror those published at the state-level CRA.   Simply put, the SCRA is a grass-roots, volunteer-based advocacy group that, as President Ronald Reagan stated, acts as the “conscience” of the Republican party.

The objectives of the organization at the local and state level are to provide a forum for its members to hear and understand the conservative viewpoints of Republican candidates that are seeking office.  The group will choose which candidates it wishes to endorse and those endorsements are consolidated at the state level.  Similarly, the organization reviews the performance of elected Republican officials weighing that performance against the conservative principles set out in its Statement of Beliefs which can be found here:  https://www.shastacra.com/what-we-believe .  The SCRA provides input on key topics to both Republican candidates and elected officials so that they can better align with the conservative principles of the organization and the public. 

How Does the California Republican Assembly (CRA) Differ from the California Republican Central Committee (CRCC)?

The California Republican Assembly (CRA) and the California Republican Central Committee (CRCC) are both volunteer-driven organizations affiliated with the Republican Party in California, but they serve distinct roles: the CRA acts as an independent conservative advocacy group, while the CRCC is the official governing structure of the state party.  Below is a comparison of their key differences across several dimensions.

Aspect	California Republican Assembly (CRA)	California Republican Central Committee (CRCC)
Nature and Status	Grassroots volunteer organization: oldest and largest conservative Republican group in California (founded 1934). Not officially part of the party structure; acts as a "conscience" for conservative principles.	Official governing body of the California Republican Party (CAGOP), established by state law (California Elections Code). Semi-autonomous at state and county levels; represents the party's formal leadership.
Purpose and Focus	Promotes strict conservative values (fiscal/social conservatism); endorses candidates who align with these principles; hosts forums, reviews elected officials' adherence to conservatism and increases Republican voter registration. Often more ideologically driven.	Manages party operations: voter registration, get-out-the-vote efforts, fundraising, candidate recruitment, platform development, and county-level coordination. Broader focus on electability and party infrastructure.
Membership and Election	Voluntary membership open to conservatives; no direct election by voters. Local units (assemblies) elect leaders internally.	Elected every 4 years by Republican primary voters in county supervisorial districts; unpaid volunteers. Includes ex-officio members like elected officials.
Structure	Decentralized: State board and ~50 local assemblies across California. Affiliated with the National Federation of Republican Assemblies.	Hierarchical: State-level RSCC oversees 58 county central committees; delegates from counties appoint state members. Monthly meetings at county level.
Influence and Independence	Independent endorsements can challenge party-backed candidates if they stray from conservatism (e.g., Ronald Reagan called it the "conscience of the Republican Party"). Focuses on advocacy over operations.	Direct control over party resources, nominations, and bylaws. Required by law to handle official party business; less ideological, more administrative.
Examples of Activities	Opposing specific bills (e.g., AB 495 on guardianship), hosting conventions on public safety/national security, hosting Candidates running for public office, fundraising activities and candidate vetting based on conservative standards.	Recruiting candidates, running GOTV campaigns, and setting the state party platform; county committees handle local fundraising and voter outreach.

 In summary, the CRA emphasizes ideological purity and grassroots activism to influence the party from within, while the CRCC focuses on the practical machinery of elections and governance. Both support Republican goals but differ in scope and authority, with the CRCC holding statutory power and the CRA providing a counterbalance for conservative voices. For more details, visit https://cragop.org/ for CRA or https://cagop.org/ for the CRCC.

What’s in Store for the SCRA?

The SCRA has enjoyed growth in its membership under the leadership of President, Domenic Santangelo and all indications are that 2026 will yield further growth.  The key change in store for the organization is that it is time to elect a new governing board.  Domenic and his fellow board members are approaching the end of their respective terms.  The insertion of new leadership may signal changes in focus and priority of the organization.  Notwithstanding that, the guiding mission statement and statement of beliefs for the organization will be unchanged.  Domenic indicated that he would remain on the board as Immediate Past President, to help with the transition of the new leadership team.  He hopes to see continued growth and interest, as broader participation in SCRA will yield further engagement by its members. 

If you are interested in joining the SCRA, membership is only $25 and it renews annually at the beginning of each year.  Follow this link if you would like to join: https://cra-membership.wildapricot.org/shasta-county .  If you are already a member and would like to seek election to the board, please reach out to Domenic Santangelo at domenicSCRA@proton.me .