More than two dozen conservatives in Irvine, California, have joined ranks to form a new local faction of the Republican Party. About 30 charter members met virtually on Feb. 22 to set up the new activist group—called the Irvine Republican Assembly (IRA)—after becoming disenchanted with some stances taken by their former group, the Greater Irvine Republicans (GIR). “It’s just time to restructure, to make sure the local Republican group is aligned with the state party,” former Irvine Mayor Christina Shea told The Epoch Times.  “I think it’s really good that we’re starting this new group. A lot of people are very excited about it.” The IRA hopes to create a positive atmosphere “with accountability, transparency, and really just basic Republican principles,” she said, comparing the group to “a wide-open tent” that welcomes new members and fresh ideas, while avoiding closed-mindedness and political infighting. The new group split away from the …