Former blue county sheriff unleashes on Dems after switching parties: 'Party of paid protests'

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva is present a registered Republican aft leaving the Democratic Party.

"As of today, I’m leaving the enactment of paid protests, purple hair, and pronouns. And I’m joining the enactment of faith, family, and state — the Republican Party," Villanueva told the Unite Inland Empire Conservative Conference connected Saturday.

"Today I announced ending 44 years arsenic a registered Dem and joining the [GOP] Time to marque [California] purple again!" helium posted to X.

The erstwhile sheriff led the ample bluish county’s section from 2018 to 2022, arsenic helium was defeated by a important borderline by Sheriff Robert Luna successful 2022.

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Los Angeles, CA, Tuesday, November 15, 2022 - LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva details his accomplishments during a property league astatine the Hall of Justice wherever helium conceded the predetermination to Robert Luna.  (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The determination was met with unfastened arms by Republican leaders successful the Golden State.

"I near the [California Democratic] Party erstwhile I saw it nary longer stood for the values I was raised with: idiosyncratic responsibility, nationalist safety, and freedom. [Alex Villanueva] made the aforesaid call. It takes courage, but it's the close move. Welcome to our question to reconstruct communal sense!" California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin posted to X.

"[Alex Villanueva], you are not alone. Many classical liberals person noticed that [the California Democratic Party] has mislaid their way, and that they champion transgression and criminals. You don't *need* to beryllium a Republican to ballot for sanity, but it helps," Roxanne Hoge, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles, posted to X.

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Los Angeles, CA - November 15: Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva speaks to the media astir his clip arsenic Sheriff during a property league wherever helium conceded to erstwhile Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna successful Los Angeles Tuesday, Nov 15, 2022. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Some critics of the erstwhile former sheriff welcomed the determination distant from the party.

"Not a surprise. Hasn’t been a DEM. Votes for him successful ‘18, regretted it & happily helped ballot him retired successful ‘22. At slightest we won’t person to spot him again successful elected bureau present with enactment switch," podcaster Scott Moore posted.

"The democrats person selected the Wu Tang Clan. Republicans tin person Villanueva," Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo posted.

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks to journalists successful a property league to denote Steve Soboroff (left) to pb L.A.'s wildfire rebuilding and betterment efforts connected January 17, 2025 successful Los Angeles, California. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)

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Republicans are inactive acold down Democrats successful enactment registration numbers successful the Golden State, but determination is simply a consciousness of ambition and optimism among enactment leaders successful the authorities up of the 2026 midterms, particularly arsenic 3 seats successful the Democrat supermajority legislature went from bluish to reddish successful November, according to CalMatters.

In Los Angeles County alone, governmental tensions stay precocious aft the devesting aftermath of the Pacific Palisades occurrence arsenic a callback effort against Mayor Karen Bass is ongoing.