Colorado GOP Senator Goes Democrat, Denounces Trump

At least one (formerly) GOP politician has had enough of the party’s antics: Colorado Senator Kevin Priola publicly denounced Trump and changed parties from republican to democrat earlier this week. The choice came as a result of the Capitol riots and insurrection on January 6, 2021 and due to the republican party’s consistent shortcomings regarding certain decisions.

In an open letter on Twitter, the Colorado senator claims that he “cannot continue to be part of a political party that is okay with a violent attempt to overturn a free and fair election and continues to peddle claims that the 2020 election was stolen.”

#coleg #copolitics #Elections2022 #democracy #Republican #DemocratsDeliver #colorado pic.twitter.com/eCiKONCAsi

— Kevin Priola ???????? XLVIII (@KevinPriola) August 22, 2022

Priola hoped that the violent attacks on the Capitol would urge his formerly fellow republican party members to distance themselves from Trump and his decisions. However, many of the members stayed silent on the matter. Priola also dislikes the republican party’s current handling of climate change. He takes issue with what he claims is the GOP’s handling of the problem with the claim that his “republican colleagues would rather deny the existence of human caused climate change than take action.”

Despite the Colorado senator’s recent decision to change parties, Priola claimed that his stance on subjects such as gun control, abortion, and school choices would not change. Likewise, the Adams County senator’s stance on climate change—that it needs to be dealt with as a threat to humanity—also will not change.

With Priola’s political party now democrat, there is a 21-14 majority in the Senate. This majority makes the increase of democratic control much more likely. Seventeen of the 34 seats are open this year for election.

The change was ridiculed by Colorado Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown, who says that Priola had been lying to his colleagues and had now joined his true political party. However, Colorado Senate President Steve Frenberg welcomed Priola as a democrat, saying that he chose morals over politics.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Priola on Facebook