North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee Announces Switch To Republican Party Says “Democratic Party Is Broken”
A Democrat mayor announced that he is switching to the Republican Party after saying that his party is not how it used to be.
North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee made the announcement on Tuesday — telling Fox & Friends that Democrats have now turned toward socialism.
“When you’re a pro-life Democrat, a pro-gun Democrat, a very conservative person, that’s not really well-known in the Democratic Party anymore and so for me to hang on as long as I did hoping the Party would change didn’t [happen].
“It got worse, so therefore I found a new place that I can put my allegiance to and help … predict the future.”
The mayor noted that the state’s Democratic Party leadership are represented by “socialists.”
“In the Democratic Party of Nevada, they had an election recently for leadership, and four of the five people were card-carrying members of the socialistic (sic) party,” Mayor Lee said.
“It’s not the party that I grew up with 25 years ago in this environment, and it’s not the party that I can stand with anymore.”
The former Democratic mayor was referring to Nevada’s recent leadership election — were most of the candidates elected to top posts at the State Democratic Party were individuals affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America.
A Nevada mayor is ditching the Democratic Party.
North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee said the party has changed from a party of the working class to a party of “socialists” and “elitists.”
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 6, 2021
“The working class, the working men and women of this country, and also the small business owners are not a part of the conversation anymore,” Lee added.
“It all has to do with the elitists, and it has to do with the socialists. That is not the agenda that I have in mind for this country or the future.”
Today, I switched political parties. The Democratic Party is broken. It’s time to bring people together to get things done. It’s time to stop shouting and start solving problems. pic.twitter.com/PUDf5frc5D
— John Lee (@MayorJohnLee) April 6, 2021
Mayor Lee of North Las Vegas was considered a conservative Democrat when he served as a state legislator, and has been touted as a potential Nevada gubernatorial candidate for next year’s elections, although he denied he is running for higher office.
North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, wooed by GOP since he was in #nvleg, announces he has switched parties, voted for Trump twice, calls himself “the most prominent Democratic elected official to switch party registration to Republican following President Joe Biden’s inauguration.” pic.twitter.com/3Nsda44LjY
— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) April 6, 2021
“I’m flattered, but at this point, I’m still focused on some big projects in North Las Vegas, and I don’t want to be distracted,” he said.
Not the first time for party switch to GOP
This is not the first time in recent years that some Democratic Party members have switched to the Republican Party over fears of a “socialist takeover” in the party as far-left leaning lawmakers grew influence within the party.
New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew said in 2019 that he switched parties after being told to vote in support of the Democrat-led impeachment against former President Donald Trump that time.
“For all the years that I have worked so hard and tried to give so much, not only to the party, but to everybody…. it all boils down to one vote, that I may have my own individual opinion on one vote and that is not going to be allowed? I’m going to be punished for that? And that’s when I knew,” Van Drew said, also citing the Democratic Party’s move to the left as part of his decision to join the GOP.
New Jersey Representative Jeff Van Drew told Fox News yesterday that he decided to switch parties when a New Jersey county chair told him he had to vote in favor of impeachment or risk losing reelection https://t.co/naa7Z7Jrsb by @rachsandl pic.twitter.com/htgOIbWnvX
— Forbes (@Forbes) December 23, 2019
Meanwhile, earlier this year, former Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones also announced he will be officially joining the Republican Party as he repeatedly accused Democrats and their supporters of being “thugs,” and “left-wing mob.”
The lifelong Democrat turned supporter of former President Trump also noted that the Democratic Party had “left me” — as it started moving to the radical left.
“I haven’t changed. The Democratic Party has changed. It’s become a toxic combination of radical leftists and liberal elites in San Francisco and Hollywood have taken over my former Party,” the ex-Democrat had said.
“The loudest voices in today’s Democratic Party are sowing division and hate between the police and the communities they serve instead of offering solutions and a platform to have some real conversations,” he added.
I’m a Georgia State Representative and lifelong Democrat. But in this election, I’ll be casting my vote for @realdonaldtrump.
I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Party left me. #MAGA #KAG #WalkAway pic.twitter.com/BUs4kRZ7JG
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) April 15, 2020
Jones, an ex-Democrat representing the 91st District in Lithonia, Georgia said: “Now more than ever, the Republican Party is in desperate need of leaders that know how to fight. I know how to fight.”
Prior to officially switching parties, Jones announced that he will continue to call out the Democratic Party.
.@RepVernonJones to @glennbeck
“I’m going to continue to call this party out. I won’t be silent.”#LIVE
— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) April 24, 2020
“I’m going to continue to call this party out. I won’t be silent,” he said in 2020.