James Rolph, colorful Republican Mayor of San Francisco and Governor of California


Grand Old Partisan celebrates more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. Today, I honor James Rolph, born in San Francisco, August 22nd 1869. He worked his way up in the shipping business from office boy to head of a large company. "Sunny Jim" also headed banks and an insurance agency.

Rolph was elected mayor in 1911 and continued throughout two decades. His administration oversaw building projects, a new water system, streetcar expansion and other infrastructure improvements. He was delegate at three Republican National Conventions.

In 1930, Rolph was elected governor. His administration endured the worst of the Great Depression, alleviated somewhat by success of the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. His popularity faded after praising the lynching of two white kidnappers who tied up their victim and threw him off a bridge. He died midway through the term.


Back to Basics for the Republican Party is my civil rights history of the GOP. To quote the book: "The more we Republicans know about the history of our party, the more Democrats will worry about the future of theirs. For more information, see www.grandoldpartisan.com. 

Here is a YouTube Video about this article.

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Here is a TikTok Video about this article.


Here is my Substack about this article.

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.


Each day, his YouTube videos and TikTok videos and Rumble videos and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than seventeen decades of Republican heroes and heroics. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Your book is a national treasure. I'm always recommending it."

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

and

"one of the best books I ever read"

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