The California Democrats are under pressure to tackle the state’s affordability crisis, yet their latest fundraising efforts appear to miss the mark in addressing this issue.
In a move to gather funds for the approaching midterm elections, the California Democratic Party, along with Senate Pro Tem Monique Limón, is organizing a lavish two-day golf and spa retreat aimed at lobbyists and special interest groups. The event is set to take place at a high-end luxury resort, with ticket prices soaring up to $100,000, as revealed in an invitation obtained by The Post.
The hefty price tag and peculiar image of the “Pro Tem Cup 2026,” scheduled for March 20 to 22 at the Omni La Costa Spa and Resort in Carlsbad, have left both lobbyists and Democratic peers uneasy.
“What exactly is the plan here?” questioned a Sacramento lobbyist in a conversation with The Post. “I wouldn’t advise my clients to spend $100,000 on this. It’s a ridiculous amount of money.”
Research indicates that the cost of living in California is about 11% higher than the national average, significantly impacting residents, with exorbitant taxes in major urban areas being a major factor.
The California Democratic Party’s website, which immediately prompts visitors for donations, claims that the party is focused on addressing the high cost of living by prioritizing working families over corporate interests.
No mention is made of the Carlsbad spa and golf retreat.
The price range for the weekend ranges from a $40,000 premium package — giving a solo Dem supporter a two-night hotel stay, access to golf and spa, two dinners, and commemorative gifts — to a $70,000 “gold” package for a pair and a $100,000 “platinum” package for a foursome.
“To pay a hundred thousand dollars to stay at an event with hundreds of other lobbyists who are trying to get the attention of maybe 15 senators, there’s just no ROI on that,” said a second state lobbyist.
“You could spend a lot less money and get a lot more attention.”
Officials for the state Democratic Party and Limón did not respond to The Post’s request for comment, but sources told The Post that previous events weren’t nearly this expensive.
Consulting firm Bertolina and Barnato, which has previously worked on campaigns for Gov. Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential run, was in charge of handling RSVPs for the event.
A Democratic official in the state Senate scoffed at the event’s price tag while noting that the event has become a longstanding tradition that elicits eye rolls.
“They do this every year, and honestly, we just look forward to the senator being gone for the weekend,” the source said.
The Omni La Costa is a sprawling luxury resort about 30 miles north of San Diego. The 400-acre property features two championship golf courses, an enormous spa complex, multiple resort pools, and several upscale restaurants, all arranged around manicured fairways and palm-lined courtyards.
Nightly rooms routinely run several hundred dollars, and the resort markets itself as a destination for “wellness” getaways and high-end conferences.
The lobbyist who said they wouldn’t recommend the retreat to their clients suggested the California Democratic Party is in a tailspin after last month’s convention in San Francisco.
The party gave out few endorsements, and a crowded field of candidates for governor is now risking handing the general election to two Republican candidates — former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
During the convention, party chair Rusty Hicks told The Post he wasn’t concerned about the number of Democratic candidates running in the June primary, while other party officials worried about “zombie campaigns” devouring Dems’ chances to make the runoff.
But this week, Hicks pivoted in an open letter calling on low-polling candidates to drop out of the race.
“What does that say about the state of our Democratic Party,” the source said, “while we do these golf and spa things for $100,000?”
