A supporter of former President Donald Trump is crossing the political aisle to become a Democrat.
New Jersey state Sen. Samuel Thompson, a Trump delegate in 2016 and 2020 who hailed his presidency as a “success,” said he would leave the GOP as local party leaders put him at question his eligibility for office because of his age.
“Betrayed by so many of my friends, it was too much for me,” Thompson told The Associated Press on Monday. “I will not leave my party. The leadership of my party left me”.
Thompson will run for re-election later this year as a Democrat. He reportedly faced a “tough” GOP primary, the New Jersey Globe reported.
He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2012 before four terms in the state senate.
In a statement, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) welcomed Thompson to the party.
“A former United States Army veteran and research chemist who served more than 20 years in the New Jersey Department of Health, Senator Thompson has built a reputation as a hard-working public servant who puts service first,” he he said. “The Democratic Party has always been a big tent party, and I welcome Senator Thompson to our ranks.”
Democrats now hold 25 of the 40 seats in Parliament.
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