SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – A handful of Republican lawmakers proved unlikely allies for Gov. Jerry Brown this week in his quest to extend California’s landmark law to combat global warming. Eight Republicans voted Monday night to continue the cap and trade law through 2030. They’re tentatively embracing climate policies in defiance of much of their party’s base and its congressional leaders. California’s top Republican Assemblyman and a handful of his colleagues are looking to put a conservative imprint on climate policy and a new face on their party, which has seen its influence in the state steadily decline. But Republicans who backed the bill are facing a backlash from conservative constituents who see cap and trade as a stealth tax hike. They’re frustrated Republicans worked with Brown and Democratic legislative leaders to pass it.