One of the oldest state senators in the country has switched parties from Republican to Democrat to show his discontent with the direction of the GOP and its current national leadership.
State Senator Samuel Thompson (R-New Jersey) is going to be running for election as a Democrat this year after serving four terms as a Republican state senator, according to NorthJersey.com.
He said he decided to make the change because his party “abandoned” him. He went to his municipal hall Monday morning to change his affiliation, he said, but it was closed for a holiday, and he intends to do it first thing on Tuesday.
“I have not left my party. My party leadership has left me,” Thompson said in an interview.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy welcomed Thompson to the party on Monday.
“A former U.S. Army veteran and research chemist who served for over 20 years in the New Jersey Department of Health, Senator Thompson has built a reputation as a tireless public servant who prioritizes constituent services,” Murphy said in a statement.
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