Bernie Kerik: GOP Should Gain in Calif. Amid Sanctuary City Fight

The growing unpopularity of sanctuary cities with California voters could turn Tuesday's primary races in the GOP's favor, former New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik said Monday.

In remarks on Newsmax TV's "Newsmax Now," Kerik said pundits are focusing on the quirks of the all-party primary — where every voter gets the same primary ballot with all the candidates on it, and the top-two finishers in each race — regardless of political party — move on to the general election.

A powerful factor will be the issue of sanctuary cities, where federal efforts to arrest illegal immigrants can clash with local authorities lack of cooperation, he said.

"This whole demographic of sanctuary cities, how the Democrats are supporting this . . . you have a huge population of California that wants out of it," Kerik said. "Hopefully that has some impact on the race."

Kerik also lamented the increasing unpopularity of the National Football League, battered by low ratings and the continuing furor over players' on-field protests of racial injustice.

"The damage has been done," he said, referring to the league's decision to order players to stand during the anthem — or remain in the locker room.

"Second to maybe NASCAR, the NFL was looked at as a patriotic, American game," Kerik asserted, adding that protesters "for a false narrative no less, they destroyed the image of the NFL, what they had . . . the teams have taken a major financial hit, and there's nobody to blame but the players."

The NFL is a business, Kerik said, and "the players sell their product."

"If you annoy the viewers and the fans and they don't want to buy this stuff, the NFL takes another hit," he said. "People have lost sight of what the NFL was . . . it's entertainment."

Kerik also dismissed speculation former President Barack Obama was ahead of his time, and said those who frame his tenure in those terms are "delusional."

"The American people had Obama for eight years, and they were ready for something different, and they were ready for change," he said, and President Donald Trump "has done wonders for the country."

"These people are delusional if they think President Obama . . . was [too] high and mighty for the people."

• California Primary Election Could Solidify Democrats' Power
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein Challenged From the Left