Gloria Romero, the former Democratic majority leader in the California state Senate, announced on Wednesday that she was switching to the Republican Party and voting for Donald Trump in November.
Romero represented the 24th District, which included sections of East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. She made her announcement in a news conference at the state Capitol, while surrounded by California GOP Chair Jessica Millan Patterson, Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin), Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) and conservative political commentator Steve Hilton.
“Today I say ‘goodbye, adios,’ I’ve had enough. I am now another near-lifelong Democrat who is joining the growing number of people … who are leaving the Democratic Party,” Romero said. “This is not the Democratic Party that I once championed. I do not recognize it anymore, and I cannot continue. I changed my voting registration today as the sun was rising to Republican, which has, under Donald Trump, become the champion of working people, the big tent. And indeed, I will vote for Donald Trump this fall.”
Her announcement was met with praise from fellow golden state GOPers and cynicism from regional Democrats who pointed to the fact that Romero already came out as red when she endorsed Republican candidate Larry Elder for Governor in 2021.
“We knew then about Gloria what California Republicans know best: the grift is real,” said Mark Gonzalez, former chair of the LA County Democratic Party. “While Republicans are catching up to years-old news, trying to stay relevant, Democrats have been working to keep them from hurting the same communities that Gloria used to champion.”
Drexel Heard, former executive director of the L.A. County Democratic Party, make a similar observation on X, remarking “Republicans are so desperate for any news, they have to drudge up old news to stay relevant.”
Romero, 69, was born in Barstow. She was elected to the California Assembly in 1998 and to the state Senate in 2001. She represented the cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, Monterey Park, Rosemead, West Covina and Whittier.
Romero was the first woman to serve as the California Senate’s majority leader and was termed out in 2010.
“Like many frustrated Democrats, Senator Romero no longer recognized her former party,” California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson said at the news conference. “We welcome everyone to join us in this fight to make safer communities for our families, better schools for our children and a stronger economy for us all to thrive — because California deserves so much better.”
Millan also said Romero is part of a larger trend, noting that California Republicans saw their voter registration increase by about 200,000 voters over the last year while California Democrats saw their registration decrease by more than 100,000.
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In her speech, Romero provided a laundry list of reasons for exiting the party. This included the loss of parental rights in schools, increased crime, the rising cost of living, California’s homeless crisis, excessive funding for foreign wars and the lack of border security.
“The Democratic Party has turned its back on the working class, becoming the party of the elites and big buck donors,” she said. “We see Democratic leaders lecture the people as to how to live their lives under the burden of COVID-19, climate change and rampant inflation. While the out of touch Californians feast at the French Laundry, crime has spiraled out of control, grocery prices have soared.”
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego) issued a statement saying Republicans are “honored” to have Romero fighting on their side.
“For years, Gloria urged her now former Party to ‘wake up’ and start standing up for everyday families again,” he said. “Her leadership and experience have always been about serving the people, not partisan politics. It takes real courage to step away from the Party you’ve led and stand for what is right.”
City News Service contributed to this report