This Latino Republican flipped a deep-blue California Assembly district. How?

Jeff Gonzalez is one of three Republicans to flip Democrat -held seats in the state Legislature .

He flipped a rural, mostly Latino district where Democrats hold a nearly 14 -point voter registration advantage.

Republicans hope they can make inroads in this liberal state, especially among voters of color.

"I don’t come here as a Republican ," Gonzalez says.

Jeff Gonzalez's district includes Republican -leaning portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

It also includes all of Imperial County , a longtime Democratic stronghold in the state's southeast corner.

Imperial County was one of nine counties in California to flip from blue to red in this year 's presidential race.

Democrat Ruben Gallegos , 79 , runs the Brawley American Citizens Club , which his father opened in the 1940s to cater to Latino military veterans.

He said California Democrats became arrogant, not paying enough attention to the struggling Imperial Valley because it had always voted blue.

Some local Democrats were furious that they supported Gonzalez , arguing that he would have little power in Sacramento as a Republican .