As Californians continue to grapple with Golden State affordability issues, Los Angeles County community leaders advocate for political change to rescue locals struggling under financial strain.

Speaking to the politicians and leaders who represent Greater Southern California, the state’s deep blue tint isn’t so obvious.

Behind what local leaders call a "blue curtain" of Sacramento’s making, there is a brewing rebellion among the more than 1.1 million registered Republicans — a GOP population larger than that of 40 other U.S. states — and independent voices on the front lines.

Some say they’re trapped in an "abusive relationship" with a one-party state that has tradedthe California Dreamfor radical mandates, leaving families to feel "mugged" every time they pull up to a gas pump.

"We have so much driving that we have to do, especially parents, working people, a lot of people commute because, as you can see, LA County is 4,600 square miles and the inner areas, the places with the most jobs, are the most expensive to live in," LA GOP Chair Roxanne Hoge told Fox News Digital. Los Angeles County is actually about 4,751 square miles. "Kamala Harris, our former veep, stood in front of a gas station in North Carolina and said, ‘Can you believe this price, $3.97?’ We would love $3.97 here in LA, we're not seeing that at all."

‘I JUST PRAY TO GOD’: LOS ANGELES DRIVERS HIT WITH $100 FILL-UPS AS GAS NEARS $9

"This is a topic everyone is talking about because this affects not only the gas prices, but food prices and everything, the whole entire economy… I can feel it in my own pocketbook," Los Angeles City Council member John Lee, the only elected non-Democrat in the city, said when asked what his constituents are telling him about the high costs of California. "I can see it in my family when we go to the grocery store that the prices are more expensive… Historically, California has always been either the [first]- or second-most expensive price of gas in this country, and that is because of the highest taxes and fees that we put on as a government."

Under the leadership of Gov. Gavin Newsom, current Republican and Independent city leaders criticize the "one-size-fits-all" policies serving a gut punch to the middle class.(Getty Images)

For the average Californian, a trip to the pump isn't just an errand, but also a financial hit critics say is driven by state legislators. California’s local and state gas taxes and environmental regulations add roughly $1.50 per gallon to the national average, and are reportedly linked directly to the state's one-party dominance and the lack of political diversity in leadership.

"The real reason for the super high prices is really because of the taxes and the regulatory situation," Chapman University professor of urban studies Joel Kotkin said. "We've done something absolutely astounding. We had a thriving oil industry in California. California was one of the big exporters of oil in the 30s and 40s. We have a lot of oil potential, but the problem is we have an administration that consistently has been trying to destroy the industry, particularly under [Gov. Gavin] Newsom."

Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos