Former New York Democratic lawmaker joins Republican Party

A New York Jewish leader who served as a Democratic lawmaker for decades announced that he is switching to the Republican party stating that members of his former party have been "radicalized" and "turned their back" on the Jewish people.

Dov Hikind, who served 36 years in the New York State Assembly and founded Americans Against Antisemitism, tweeted "It's official: My wife and I have switched our party affiliation from Democrat to Republican!"



The tweet included a video of him and his wife Shani, explaining why they decided to join the Republican Party. “The time has come [because] the Dems have turned their back on Jews & Israel, so it's officially done!"

"I have been a lifelong Democrat, my family, my parents, but that's over. That's finished," Hikind added. "I have decided to register as a Republican. Unfortunately, the Democratic Party has become so radicalized … that people who are moderates or conservative Democrats are not welcomed in the Democratic Party, and I've had enough."

He noted that the Democratic Party and the Biden administration "turns its back on its friends like Israel."

"This is about sending a message, a message to the Biden administration, a message to the Democratic Party. We're losing the American people because you are not representing our values. You are not representing the Democratic Party that my parents were so proud of."

Hikind's announcement came one day after Democratic members of the progressive “Squad” boycotted a speech given by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to a joint meeting of Congress to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Jewish state’s founding.

Just days before the speech, Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) make antisemitic comments over the weekend by calling Israel a "racist state" and receiving backlash from both sides of the political aisle.

In response, House Republicans brought forth and overwhelmingly passed a bi-partisan resolution that said Israel was neither a racist nor an apartheid state which did not specifically name Jayapal.

Nine Democrats voted "no" and another one voted "present" with Jayapal voting that Israel was not racist but issuing a statement that read, “Today I voted yes on H.Con.Res.57. This resolution had clear political motivations.”

The Progressive Caucus Chair added, “I made my views clear on this topic and the statement I released on Sunday,” noting a statement she released attempting to walk back her antisemitic comments while still insisting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government were racist.

According to Fox News, over a million Americans have from the Democrat party to Republican during the last year.

Mesha Mainor, who represents Georgia’s District 56 in the state Legislature, announced earlier this month that she will switch her party registration to Republican.

Louisiana State Rep. Jeremy LaCombe announced In April he had left the Democratic Party and registered as a Republican shortly after fellow state Rep. Francis Thompson switched his party affiliation and gave Republicans a supermajority in the state House.