SACRAMENTO, California — Thirty years ago, then-California Gov. Pete Wilson set off a political earthquake over immigration.

The Republican governor’s critics over the years say the 1994 campaign — marked by his support of Proposition 187 that sought to deny public services to immigrants in the country illegally — went beyond trying to get the federal government to act on a crisis that was costing California millions.

Democrats charged him with racism and stoking anti-immigrant sentiment. Members of his own party feared he was alienating the state’s fast-growing Latino electorate and sending the California GOP down a path to irrelevance. Now, a Republican running to be the new face of that GOP in Sacramento is coming to Wilson’s defense — and appropriating his divisive message.

On Monday, as the immigration debate consumes Washington, San Diego-area state Assembly candidate Carl DeMaio will start airing a 30-second TV ad titled “Gov. Pete Wilson Was Right.” The homage to Wilson — shared first with POLITICO — represents a stunning break from the party’s softer immigration messaging since Wilson left office.

“The California Republican political establishment has been dead........

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