In a surprise move, prominent Democrat Dov Hikind and his wife Shani announced on Thursday that they are switching their party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
Hikind, who has served for decades as a New York lawmaker and now leads a group committed to fighting antisemitism, cited the Democratic Party’s move toward “radicalization” and offense against the Jewish people as the primary catalyst for his change of heart.
“It’s official: My wife and I have switched our party affiliation from Democrat to Republican!” Dov Hikind tweeted. “People have long been asking, ‘Dov, when are you gonna leave the Democratic Party?’ Well, the time has come [because] the Dems have turned their back on Jews & Israel, so it’s officially done!”
IT’S OFFICIAL: My wife and I have switched our party affiliation from Democrat to Republican!
Ppl have long been asking, “Dov, when are you gonna leave the Democratic Party?”
Well, the time has come bc the Dems have turned their back on Jews & Israel, so it’s officially done! pic.twitter.com/VAlGaaALDO
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) July 20, 2023
Hikind’s announcement is the latest in a string of defections from the Democratic Party, with more than one million Americans switching from Democrat to Republican over the past 12 months.
Hikind cited the Biden administration’s policies toward Israel, as well as recent comments by progressive Democrats criticizing the Jewish state, as other reasons for his departure from the Democratic Party. He also expressed his disappointment with Democrats who have turned “their back on its friends like Israel.”
This latest news is sure to stir further heated discussion of the current direction of the two major American parties. Critics of the Democratic Party argue that the party now caters to progressive social values and anti-Israel sentiment, which has left moderate and conservative Democrats feeling alienated.
Supporters of the party, however, have indicated that it is still committed to core Democratic values, such as working towards economic equality, protecting civil rights and liberties, and fighting for marginalized populations.
Only time will tell how this defection from the Democratic Party affects the political landscape in the United States. It is clear, however, that Hikind’s decision is an indication of discontent in the party from some Democrats who feel increasingly alienated.
