The sheriff in Gaston County, North Carolina announced on Wednesday that he will leave the Democrat Party because of its anti-cop stances and not seek reelection, WBTV in Charlotte reported.
“The present Democratic Party has left me,” Sheriff Alan Cloninger said. “There is no home for a conservative Democrat in today’s Democratic Party. Therefore, today I will be changing my party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated voter.”
He blamed Democrats at the federal level for disparaging cops.
“Some of the new Democrats in Washington attack and degrade all law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to protect the people,” he said.
Cloninger has served an as elected Democrat in a mostly Republican area for 16 years.
Gaston County in 2020 voted 63 percent for former President Donald Trump and 35 percent for President Joe Biden, yet Cloninger won unopposed in 2018, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
“This has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. I’ve devoted my life serving all the citizens of Gaston County, but the time has come that I must put my family first,” Cloninger said. “Today I am announcing that I am retiring at the end of this term as your sheriff. I will serve out the remainder of my term with honor, concern and integrity as I always have.”
Cloninger did not change his registration to Republican because he wants to be free to choose candidates from either party.
“I’m switching to independent to make a statement that the Democrats have left me,” he said. “I’m making it where I can support people who are going to do good from both parties.”
Cloninger implemented and supported ICE’s 287(g) program, which trains local law enforcement to check the immigration status of suspects and transfer illegal aliens to federal custody.
