Today, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) announced that Senator Kelly Seyarto(R-Murrieta) will succeed Senator Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach) as the new Senate Republican Caucus Chair, effective September 1, 2023. Senator Nguyen served admirably as Caucus Chair since the start of 2023. She has decided to step down from the position so she can concentrate her time on serving her constituents and on her campaign for Orange County Supervisor.
“Thank you to Janet for serving as Senate Republican Caucus Chair this session,” said Senate Minority Leader Jones. “Janet was the first Vietnamese American to serve in this position. Her leadership on cutting costs for Californians and combatting crime has been unparalleled. We are sorry to see Janet leaving leadership but are fully supportive of her choice to devote her time to her constituents and her campaign. I know she will continue to fight to fix California.
“Congratulations to Kelly on his new role as Senate Republican Caucus Chair. I look forward to working with him on our priorities to fix California. As a retired firefighter, Kelly is a fearless advocate for protecting the public and tackling fentanyl in our communities. I have no doubt he will help lead our caucus with passion and commitment to improving the quality of life for all Californians.”
“I am honored to be asked to serve as Republican Caucus Chair and I am happy to accept the role,” said Senator Seyarto. “I am grateful for the service and leadership of my great colleague and good friend Senator Nguyen during her tenure as a Caucus Chair. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues, while we continue to work toward a better California by focusing on important issues like public safety, taxpayer protections, and infrastructure improvements to support our communities.”