SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Republicans converged on Sacramento for the state Republican convention.

A big part of the convention is working on building momentum gained in the last election and hitting on issues that motivated voters.

Keynote speakers for the event were Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales and women's sports advocate Riley Gaines.

Experts link the debate on transgender athletes to a rightward shift by state voters in 2024.

An Ipsos poll in January found 94% of Republicans oppose transwomen in woman’s sports, with 67% of Democrats feeling the same way.

Political experts note California is still a very blue state and there are a number of civil rights laws that have been passed recently to protect the rights of the LGBTQ community.