California Democrats were ebullient and Republicans largely kept quiet Thursday after a New York jury delivered a historic verdict, convicting former President Donald Trump in a hush-money trial.

Trump has virtually no chance of winning deep-blue California’s electoral votes. But control of the House could hinge on a half-dozen competitive California districts, several of which are represented by vulnerable Republicans. Trump’s trajectory could swing those races.

Democrats were conspicuously more eager to weigh in than Republicans — a reflection of the tricky politics frontline GOP members have to navigate in California. While Senate frontrunner Rep. Adam Schiff called the outcome a confirmation of “Trump’s unfitness for office,” his Republican challenger Steve Garvey did not have a response, like many other members of his party.

For one Republican who did weigh in, the verdict offered an opportunity to align with Trump by assailing the trial as a partisan distraction. Former state Assemblymember Scott Baugh, who is running for the Orange County seat Democratic Rep. Katie Porter vacated this year, denounced the “political prosecution.” His opponent, Democratic state Sen. Dave Min, echoed others on his side of the aisle by calmly calling the verdict “a win for the rule of law and our democracy.”

Some other Democrats could try to tie their Republican foes to the verdict. “Donald Trump was held accountable for his crimes today,” Democrat Derek Tran, who is challenging Rep. Michelle Steel, said in a statement. “This November, his Delegate Michelle Steel will be held accountable for her corruption.” Steel’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Many Democrats openly exulted in the outcome. “#34 is my new favorite number,” state Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire said on X, a reference to the number of counts on which Trump was convicted.

“How’s that chant go that he used to lead at rallies?” quipped Rep. Robert Garcia.

California Democrats have diverged in recent months on how to respond to Trump’s legal woes. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who hadn’t commented by press time, rebuffed calls to explore stripping Trump from the ballot in California, arguing that “we defeat candidates at the polls” — the same message that President Joe Biden offered today.

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