In recent years, we’ve heard a lot about what’s currently being called the “#WalkAway” campaign where lifelong Democratic voters and politicians leave the party behind and become Republicans. But the truth is that this has been going on for a long time.
Remember, it was former President Ronald Reagan — still considered a defining icon in the GOP — who said “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.” President Donald Trump is a convert himself. Before entering American politics, he spent most of his adult life as a real estate tycoon as a Democrat. He even bragged about donating substantially to the party.
So, this isn’t a new phenomenon — but it is growing faster in the age of Trump. They recognize increasingly that there is only one party that represents the conservative values of our state and that is the Republican party.
The Mississippi Republican Party recently welcomed eight new elected officials into its ranks. MSGOP Chairman Lucien Smith is expecting more to follow.
“We have had a relentless focus on switching conservative Democrats over to the Republican party,” he said in a statement. “They recognize increasingly that there is only one party that represents the conservative values of our state and that is the Republican Party.”
There have been a number of defections from the Democratic Party during this election cycle. It’s easy to see what’s going on: most Democrats aren’t actually socialists, and they’re terrified by the prospect of one taking over their party.
Here’s Tim Pool to break down the story.
