State senator leaves Democrats and goes Republican: ‘Not the party I signed up for’

A Democratic California state senator is leaving her party for the Republican side. Her argument: it “is not the party that I signed up for decades ago.”

Marie Alvarado-Gil, a Democrat for decades, represents the northeastern part of the state's Central Valley, and commented on her switch to Fox.

“In the past two years that I’ve been working in the Senate, I have not recognized the party that I belong to. ... The Democratic Party is not the party that I signed up for decades ago. ... I can’t, in good conscience with the values that I have and my commitment to represent the voters of California, continue to call myself a Democrat,” she said.

The senator lamented having to fight an "uphill battle" with fellow Democrats to make positive changes in the state. She also stated that Republicans "have a plan to fix California," and assured that she "want[s] to be a part of that."

“Since my first day in office, I have put the interests of my constituents first. I was elected to serve the public, not a political ideology ... The status quo under a supermajority Democratic rule in the legislature is simply not working for this state,” she stated.

Alvarado-Gil welcomed by Republicans

Alvarado-Gil was warmly and proudly welcomed into the Republican Party. The state Senate Republican Caucus called her, "Pragmatic. Fierce. Strong. Republican."

State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones also celebrated Alvarado-Gil's switch, saying, "It takes courage to stand up to the supermajority in California and Marie has what it takes."

He further added, “Her record on tackling crime, protecting communities from sexually violent predators, and prioritizing her constituents speaks for itself.”

The senator has two years left to work with Republicans, as she is not up for reelection until 2026. The change has brought the GOP up to nine seats in California's 40-member Senate.