Former Hispanic sheriff from Los Angeles County leaves Democratic Party and joins GOP

He was the first Democrat to win the Sheriff's Office in Los Angeles in more than a century, as well as the county's first sheriff to speak Spanish. Although a source of pride for the party, they gradually drifted apart ... until the final break in the last few hours.

"If you have cameras, get them rolling," said Alex Villanueva to an audience that, with applause and cheers, heard, "As of today, I’m leaving the party of paid protests, purple hair, and pronouns, and joining the party of faith, family, and freedom."

Although in the video of the announcement, shared by Villanueva himself, he did not offer more details, the politician of Puerto Rican descent showed his discontent during his time leading the organization. In addition to clashes with local Democratic authorities, he criticized wokism and the movement to defund the police.

At a three-sheriff forum three years ago, he even said the 2022 election was going to be a referendum against the woke movement. "I'm going to serve and protect the woke crowd, as confused as they may be," he added. He also opposed "unlawful" sanitary mandates.

From his ex-party, they also began expressing "buyer’s remorse," according to Politician. Criticism pointed, above all, to his approach to figures such as Tucker Carlson, his "conservative rhetoric around crime," and denunciations for alleged excesses.

In 2022, he lost the election to fellow Hispanic Robert Luna. Before running for the office, which he still holds, Luna switched from Republican to Democratic ranks, according to the LA Times. Villanueva has just traveled the opposite path.