Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has abandoned the Democratic Party after 44 years, joining the GOP and declaring Democrats the “party of paid protests, purple hair, and pronouns.”
At a Glance
- Alex Villanueva, former LA County Sheriff (2018-2022), has switched to the Republican Party after 44 years as a Democrat
- He announced his decision at the Unite Inland Empire Conservative Conference, citing preference for “faith, family, and freedom”
- Villanueva is currently running for LA County Board of Supervisors against Janice Hahn in 2024
- His defection reflects broader political realignment concerns in California
- Republican leaders in California welcomed the switch, seeing it as a move toward restoring common sense
A Sheriff’s Political Transformation
After more than four decades as a registered Democrat, former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has made a dramatic political shift by joining the Republican Party. Villanueva, who served as Sheriff from 2018 to 2022, announced his decision at the Unite Inland Empire Conservative Conference, making clear his disillusionment with the party that once supported his rise to power. His switch comes as he prepares for a new political challenge – running for the LA County Board of Supervisors against incumbent Janice Hahn in the 2024 election.
Initially elected as a reformist Democrat in 2018, Villanueva’s tenure as Sheriff was marked by controversies, including resistance to oversight and conflicts with the county’s predominantly Democratic leadership. His relationship with the party grew increasingly strained during his time in office as he took positions that often aligned more closely with conservative law enforcement perspectives than with progressive reform movements gaining traction in Los Angeles County.
Critical of Democratic Values
Villanueva did not mince words when explaining his departure from the Democratic Party. In his announcement, he delivered a stinging rebuke of what he perceives as the party’s current direction. “As of today, I’m leaving the party of paid protests, purple hair, and pronouns. And I’m joining the party of faith, family, and freedom — the Republican Party,” Villanueva declared, making his ideological transition abundantly clear to supporters and critics alike.
His criticism extended to what he characterized as enabling disruptive protests and emboldening “Antifa and anarchist” elements. The former Sheriff also took issue with Democratic approaches to public safety and Second Amendment rights. During his term, Villanueva advocated for expanding concealed carry permits in Los Angeles County, a position more typically associated with Republican law enforcement officials than with Democratic ones in California’s urban centers.
Republican Welcome and Broader Implications
Republican leaders in California have enthusiastically welcomed Villanueva’s decision to join their ranks. Corrin Rankin, a prominent California GOP figure, praised Villanueva’s move, connecting it to shared concerns about the state’s direction. The switch has been portrayed by Republicans as part of a larger trend of disaffected Democrats reconsidering their political allegiances in response to governance issues in California, particularly around public safety and personal freedoms.
“I left the [California Democratic] Party when I saw it no longer stood for the values I was raised with: personal responsibility, public safety, and freedom. [Alex Villanueva] made the same call. It takes courage, but it’s the right move. Welcome to our movement to restore common sense!”, said Corrin Rankin.
Villanueva’s defection comes amid heightened political tensions in Los Angeles County, where issues like rising crime rates and governmental management of public resources have become increasingly contentious. Some former supporters have indicated they were not surprised by his departure, suggesting his alignment with Democratic priorities had been tenuous for some time. Despite Republicans being outnumbered in party registration across California, GOP leaders express optimism that switches like Villanueva’s signal a potential shift in the state’s political landscape.
Looking Toward Future Elections
Villanueva’s party switch carries particular significance as he campaigns for a seat on the LA County Board of Supervisors. His candidacy will test whether his law-and-order message and newly declared Republican affiliation can resonate with voters in a county that has historically favored Democratic candidates. The former Sheriff appears to be betting that concerns about public safety and dissatisfaction with progressive policies will outweigh traditional party loyalties in the 2024 election.
His transition highlights the ongoing national debates about the balance between public safety and reform, particularly in major urban centers. By explicitly rejecting what he characterizes as Democratic excesses and embracing Republican values of “faith, family, and freedom,” Villanueva has positioned himself as part of a potential realignment in California politics that challenges long-held assumptions about party dominance in the nation’s most populous state.
