Texas Democratic county official announces switch to the GOP, cites border policies: ‘An unprecedented crisis’

EXCLUSIVE: A Democratic county official in Texas announced that she is switching to the GOP, citing support for law enforcement and border security policy as key reasons why.

Kleberg County Attorney Kira Talip Sanchez confirmed the political party switch Saturday in a release to Fox News Digital. She addressed the Hispanic Republicans of Texas PAC at their 2024 election season kickoff event.

Kleberg County is located in southern Texas and borders the Gulf of Mexico. While it has historically leaned blue, the county voted for former President George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and narrowly voted for former President Donald Trump in 2020.

Sanchez cited the “unprecedented” border crisis as a main reason for her switch.

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“As County Attorney, I have been proud to work with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the citizens of Kleberg County,” Sanchez said in a statement. “There is an unprecedented crisis at our southern border. I believe that the GOP’s policies of law and order protecting safety, and backing the blue best align with my values and the values of the citizens of Kleberg County.”

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to keep South Texas safe,” Sanchez added.

Many Texas Republicans have recently criticized the federal government’s response to the border crisis, arguing that President Joe Biden’s policies have been ineffective or negligent. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been fighting a lawsuit by the Department of Justice over Texas’s floating buoy barrier on the Rio Grande, which Abbott argues is necessary.

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On Friday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that there were 183,503 migrant encounters at the southern border in July – a steep increase from the 144,566 seen in June.

In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, Hispanic Republicans of Texas President Cassy Garcia said that she was “excited” to continue her outreach to Democratic voters across the Lone Star State.

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“Every day, we are meeting with people who have voted for Democrats for decades but that this is no longer their Abuelos’ Democratic Party,” Garcia argued. “It’s become too radical, elitist, and out of touch with our values.” 

Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.