Three Virginia Sheriffs have abandoned the Democrat Party in favor of becoming registered Republicans. The three new Republicans noted that Democrat’s continued shift toward extremism as well as embracing ideas like defunding the police left them with no choice but to leave the party.
According to The Daily Wire:
“Sheriff Chip Shuler of Smyth County, who was elected as a Democrat in 2015, was the most recent addition to the Republican Party,” The Center Square reported. “In 2015, Shuler was elected with slightly more than 59% of the vote and was re-elected in 2019 with slightly more than 60% of the vote. Smyth County is a mostly Republican district in which more than three-fourths of votes backed former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.”
Shuler, who made the announcement last week, had his application unanimously approved by the local Republican Party and was welcomed into it by Smyth County Republican Party Chairman Adam Tolbert.
“I am changing to the Republican Party because of the relentless attack on law enforcement by Democrats in Richmond and Washington,” Shuler said. “My deputies work hard to serve and protect the citizens of Smyth County. As sheriff, it has been difficult to watch my deputies try to move forward during this unprecedented assault on our profession. We (law enforcement) remain an honorable profession and should not be judged by the bad acts of a few. I have always been a conservative throughout my law enforcement career of 38 years.”
Shuler followed in the footsteps of two other Virginia sheriffs that decided to abandon the Democrat Party. Buchanan County Sheriff John McClanahan and Tazewell County Sheriff Brian Hieatt made the switch last year after seeing the “Defund the Police” movement gain momentum and reacting to the violent riots plaguing American cities.
“Many who know me know that my world revolves around Religion, Family, and Occupation in that order,” McClanahan said late last year. “My career is a large part of my life and I consider it to be my calling. I have said it many times but the Democratic Party that we know today is no longer the party my grandfather was involved in. The ideologies of the party have shifted away from those traditional values. Currently the Democratic Party is going against everything I stand for, pushing for defunding the police and the taking away of safeguards that have been put in place for us.”
All three sheriffs noted how the current Democrat Party is willing to bend over backward to appease criminals yet refuse to stand up for everyday Americans. This continued shift to embrace Socialism and extremism has been a major driver in pushing moderate Democrats over to the Republican party.
