As he seeks re-election this year, a state senator from New Jersey says he is leaving the Republican Party to become a Democrat.
The 87-year-old state senator Samuel Thompson, who has served in that capacity for more than ten years, claimed he made the choice because GOP leaders “abandoned” him. He blames ageism for the issue.
The New Jersey Globe, which defined the senator as a conservative who is pro-life, pro-gun, and an admirer of former President Donald Trump, reported that he told reporters, “Do I want to stay with people that want to cut my throat like that?”
Thompson was “too old and might die in office,” as the GOP chairman in Middlesex County, which takes up part of the state senator’s legislative district, suggested, as Thompson claimed. However, Rob Bengivenga who is the chairman did indicate that the party was interested in bringing a new face to the state Senate, denying that he makes those comments, per the New Jersey Monitor.
In an emailed statement reported by the Associated Press, he said, “I was hoping the Senator would embrace it and work together as a mentor and advisor for the years to come.”
In the June GOP primary for New Jersey’s 12th legislative district, Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry, 63, announced earlier this month that he would compete against Thompson. Democrats celebrated the possibility of increasing their majority in the state Senate, even though it is uncertain who will run in their primary.
Governor Phil Murphy said, “The Democratic Party has always been a big tent party, and I welcome Senator Thompson to our ranks.”
But Thompson insists that he won’t change his voting habits, despite the party swap.
He said, “I am not a liberal; I’d put myself as a moderate conservative. I will continue to vote the way that I vote – that is to say, from a moderate conservative position … I just got done meeting with the Democrats, and we didn’t seem to have any problems.”
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Sources: Dailywire, The Associated Press, New Jersey Monitor, The New Jersey Globe
