GOP state legislators change sides because of Trump extremism

The democratic elections of November did not allow the Democrats to take their place.

In the past two months, legislators have been sworn in. and this year's state sessions began, the Republicans of California, Kansas and New Jersey turned their affiliations into parties to become Democrats.

They cited various reasons, but the party changers have one thing in common: they say that President Donald Trump's GOP has become too extreme.

"The Republican Party, despite all its statements about having a big tent, continues to limit the tent," said Kansas City Senator Barbara Bollier of Mission Hills, one smugglers. "Those of us who were moderate are clearly not welcome."

Bollier was one of four moderate Republicans from the suburbs of Kansas City to change party.

The last party flip took place this week in New Jersey. Republican Dawn Marie Addiego, representing a suburb of Philadelphia in southern New Jersey for nearly ten years, has left the Popular Party, GOP, a minority party in both Houses of the Legislative Assembly.

She mentioned her desire to "be part of the discussion" in the Democratic majority but also hinted that the National Republican Party is no longer recognizable.

"My core values ​​that had initially attracted me to the Republican Party have not changed, but the party that echoed Ronald Reagan's vision it no longer exists", a- she said in a statement announcing the change.

This announcement comes just days after San Diego deputy Brian Maienschein of California left the GOP. He said that he differed from his former party on immigration, health care, gun control, abortion and gay rights. State Legislative Houses, according to data provided by the National Conference of State Legislatures (Nebraska is the only state to have a single legislative chamber).

They also intervene at a time when the ratings of approval of the president are down.

"This is largely a product of the Trump phenomenon," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Survey Institute. "President Trump blew the lid off this party, it's starting to look like a cult of personality."

In states with democratic tendencies like California and New Jersey, defections add to the challenges of the GOP.

Jack Ciattarelli, a former Republican lawmaker from New Jersey, said he was considering running for governorship in 2021. In New Jersey, this means focusing on public retreats under- financed and their affordability. [19659007] "At that time, there will always be people whose vote with disdain for Donald Trump will determine their vote," he said. "But I still believe that there is a majority of unrelated and unrelated voters in New Jersey and even some unscrupulous Democratic voters who will vote for the party that will solve the various crises."

The political landscape of party change seats

In New Jersey, Addiego defeated his Democratic opponent with 63% of the vote in 2013. In 2017, his winning percentage was reduced to 52%. And last November, Democratic Rep. Andy Kim beat incumbent Republican Tom MacArthur in the 3rd district of the US House, which brings together all the cities represented by Addiego in the state Senate.

The district of Maienschein's Assembly has become more democratic since its first election, when it was considered safe for Republicans. Republicans accounted for 38% of registered voters out of the 30% of Democrats in 2012. Enrollments are about equal. At the state level, independents are now outnumbered Republicans in California.

In Kansas, the four defectors all belonged to a congressional district that Trump had narrowly lost in 2016 and elected Democrat Sharice Davids last year.

Unlike the legislators of California and New Jersey. they went from the majority to the minority party. The Kansas Republicans pointed out that legislators were moderates who voted mostly with the Democrats anyway.

Republicans in New Jersey and California criticized the replacement of legislators as a ploy to retain power. "People will consider Addiego's party change for what is – an attempt at political survival," said Ciattarelli.

But voters were divided over how they viewed his defection of the GOP.

Dick Bozarth, 79 A retiree from the construction industry, said at a dinner in Medford, New Jersey, in the heart of the Addygo neighborhood, that the change was sending a wrong signal .

"She wants to be with the radicals right now?" He asked. "Is that what she wants to do?" Bozarth said that he had already voted for Addiego, but that he would not do it anymore.

Dave DeAngelis, a 65-year-old auto repair shop who recently moved to Berlin, a city just off the Addiego neighborhood, said he supported her longer. years.

He stated that because of his long political experience in local and state offices, his political party was not important to him.

"If she still retains her opinions, I do not think that would make a big difference," he said.

This change could help him do more: "It is very difficult to be Republican in this state," he said. "She would have got nothing through the state assembly because she did not have the votes."

Party change can go both ways. In Oklahoma, the state's representative, Johnny Tadlock, who represents a rural district in the southeast corner of the state, has moved to the GOP. Democrats have lost seats there over the past two decades.