California never becomes a tossup in presidential races. However, I can see moderate GOPers being elected at the state level. Arnie is a great example. Somebody like Faulconer might be competative in a gubernatorial contest.
In a Clinton mid-term, do you think Faulconer could beat Newsom or Feinstein better?
Depends on the circumstances. If President Hillary’s approval is below 50% in CA and Faulconer runs a good campaign, he might pull off a narrow victory. If he’s popular like Baker in MA, he’ll win an easy reelection.