The events raked in money for a slate of targeted GOP incumbents including Reps. David Valadao, John Duarte, Kevin Kiley, Mike Garcia, Ken Calvert, Michelle Steel and Young Kim. The speaker is backing several Republicans looking to flip blue seats, including Scott Baugh, who is running in the open Orange County seat currently held by Rep. Katie Porter, and Matt Gunderson, who is challenging Rep. Mike Levin. In Fresno, Johnson was hosted by Richard and Karen Spencer, who own a construction business and are deeply involved with Central California Right to Life. Democrats seized on the connection to the anti-abortion group, noting its blog has called the morning-after pill, also known as Plan B, as a potential “abortifacient” and linked to resources opposed to in-vitro fertilization. “There’s not enough vague ‘I support women’ tweets in the world that can save California Republican congressional candidates,” said Matilda Bress, spokesperson for American Bridge, a liberal outside group. “They voted to attack reproductive rights, spoke against reproductive rights, and are now proudly raising money with some of the biggest reproductive rights haters in the state. Californians won’t support them and their extreme stances.” Greg Steele, a spokesperson for Johnson, brushed off the jab and turned the focus on Democrats Rudy Salas and Adam Gray, who are running to unseat Valadao and Duarte in the two fiercest Central Valley races. “California Democrats should be more concerned with the fact they have nominated self-serving Sacramento politicians who skipped hundreds of votes while collecting millions in taxpayer pay and supporting increases in gas prices, inflation and taxes on agriculture — all issues that do not reflect the values of Central Valley families,” he said. Abortion did not come up much during the event, said Karen Spencer, who said it was “very sad” the issue had become so politically toxic. “I think Democrats are desperate,” she said. “They want to take the emphasis off their presidential candidate.” She had much better things to say about Johnson, who was making his debut in front of a crowd that knew his successor well. “A lot of people knew Kevin McCarthy. He was a very grassroots kind of guy, he grew up in the Valley. So they were interested in meeting the new speaker,” Spencer said. “I think we’re blessed to have him. I personally can’t imagine how anyone handles all the drama in Congress, but I think he’s cut out for the job.” IT’S THURSDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to mmason@politico.com or send a shout on X. DMs are open. | 
