Former blue county sheriff ditches Democratic Party, registers Republican

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

“As of today, I’m leaving the party of paid protests, purple hair, and pronouns. And I’m joining the party of faith, family, and freedom — the Republican Party,” Villanueva told the Unite Inland Empire Conservative Conference on Saturday.

“Today I announced ending 44 years as a registered Dem and joining the [GOP] Time to make [California] purple again!” he posted to X.

The former sheriff led the large blue county’s department from 2018 to 2022, as he was defeated by a significant margin by Sheriff Robert Luna in 2022.

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The move was met with open arms by Republican leaders in the Golden State.

“I left the [California Democratic] Party when I saw it no longer stood for the values I was raised with: personal responsibility, public safety, and freedom. [Alex Villanueva] made the same call. It takes courage, but it’s the right move. Welcome to our movement to restore common sense!” California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin posted to X.

“[Alex Villanueva], you are not alone. Many classic liberals have noticed that [the California Democratic Party] has lost their way, and that they champion crime and criminals. You don’t *need* to be a Republican to vote for sanity, but it helps,” Roxanne Hoge, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles, posted to X.

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Some critics of the former former sheriff welcomed the move away from the party.

“Not a surprise. Hasn’t been a DEM. Votes for him in ‘18, regretted it & happily helped vote him out in ‘22. At least we won’t have to see him again in elected office now with party switch,” podcaster Scott Moore posted.

“The democrats have selected the Wu Tang Clan. Republicans can have Villanueva,” Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo posted.

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Republicans are still far behind Democrats in party registration numbers in the Golden State, but there is a sense of ambition and optimism among party leaders in the state ahead of the 2026 midterms, especially as three seats in the Democrat supermajority legislature went from blue to red in November, according to CalMatters.

In Los Angeles County alone, political tensions remain high after the devesting aftermath of the Pacific Palisades fire as a recall effort against Mayor Karen Bass is ongoing.