Former California Senate Democrat Gloria Romero Explains Why She Became a Republican

Is it possible that a former Democrat Senate Leader could be our nominee for Lt. Governor in 2026?  For years she has been a supporter of schools of choice.  In 2024 she endorsed Trump for President. Like others, the Democrat Party turned toward the elite and away from the people—and she was always a part of the people.

“Romero mostly focused on her story of how and why she left the party, but touched on other topics.

She mentioned Trump’s deportation policies, saying that conservatives need to push back on messaging that Trump is trying to deport dishwashers or gardeners or your “abuelita,” and said the targets of deportation are violent criminals.

She also supported the idea of dissolving the federal Department of Education in support of turning education back to the states. The funding would have more accountability at the state level, and high-poverty and special education students would benefit the most, she said.

“What this would mean is no more blaming on Washington,” Romero said. “Here it is Sacramento, it is your responsibility, these are your funds, and now Sacramento will have to show its value.”

At the CRP convention, if you see her, stop and say hello—ask her your questions to get a feel if she is the right fit.

Former California Senate Democrat Gloria Romero Explains Why She Became a Republican

Romero, California state senator for a decade, said she didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left her

by Joshua Molina, Noozhawk, 2/15/25   https://www.noozhawk.com/former-california-senate-democrat-gloria-romero-explains-why-she-became-a-republican/

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Gloria Romero, former Democratic majority leader in the California State Senate, told a room of conservatives on Saturday that the Democratic Party is unrecognizable from what it once stood for.

Romero served in the state legislature from 2001 to 2010 and then shocked people in 2024 when she flipped her voter registration to Republican. Romero then voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

“I didn’t leave the party, the party left me,” Romero said. “It doesn’t exist anymore.”

Romero spoke at a luncheon Saturday afternoon at a meeting of the Santa Barbara Conservative Republicans at Timbers in Goleta. About 65 people attended.

Romero mostly focused on her story of how and why she left the party, but touched on other topics.

She mentioned Trump’s deportation policies, saying that conservatives need to push back on messaging that Trump is trying to deport dishwashers or gardeners or your “abuelita,” and said the targets of deportation are violent criminals.

She also supported the idea of dissolving the federal Department of Education in support of turning education back to the states. The funding would have more accountability at the state level, and high-poverty and special education students would benefit the most, she said.

“What this would mean is no more blaming on Washington,” Romero said. “Here it is Sacramento, it is your responsibility, these are your funds, and now Sacramento will have to show its value.”

In his first month in office President Trump has stated that he wants to abolish the Department of Education, and he appointed billionaire Elon Musk to fire thousands of federal employees to save money. Trump has launched widespread deportation efforts of undocumented residents and vowed to erase diversity, equity and inclusion funding, among other controversial moves.

During her time in office, Romero represented portions of East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. She was the first female majority leader in the senate and previously served four years in the California State Assembly.

“Once upon a time the Democratic Party did stand for blue collar American workers, the working class, but that’s gone,” Romero said.

Romero said the party has been taken over by unions and “coastal elites,” who no longer speak for working class people.

She said, “there’s a lot of folks ready to come over,” and urged the Republican Party to welcome them.

“I think California’s sheen can be restored if we open up the tent, invite people to work with us in search of a common good,” Romero said. “There’s so much we can do together.”

Romero said she has been warmly embraced by Republicans since she joined their team.

Her shift to the Republican Party came during her time in the state legislature, when she supported school choice.

“By the time I left in 2010, mostly because I advocated for school choice, I began to be called, even back then, a right-wing Republican-loving, blah, blah, blah,” Romero said.

She said that the Democratic Party was “tethered” to the powerful California Teachers Association.

“I just said not on my conscience, I cannot do this, I will not do it — I confronted my party back then,” Romero said. “I paid the price politically.”

Romero said that for some Democrats changing party registration to Republican might be “a bridge too far,” but the point is that people should not blindly follow their party.

I do believe there really isn’t a red state, a blue state, I think California is the Golden state, and it is OK to have whatever label you want behind your name,” Romero said.

Romero said that Elon Musk, Tulsi Gabbard, even Donald Trump, all used to be Democrats but changed to Republican. She said the one that brought tears to her eyes was when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. left the Democratic Party to become an independent.

“I remember that night he said, ‘I’m out,’ and I said ‘I’m gone,’” Romero said. “This is like the end of the line for me. The Kennedy name was sacred in my household.”

She shared a bit of her back story. She grew up in Barstow and her father served in World War II, in a segregated U.S. Army.

“My father never gave up on this country,” Romero said. “He believed in this country. He served this country, and when he passed away Taps played at his funeral and an American flag draped his coffin. He believed this was the land of opportunity.”

She remembers watching the U.S. land on the moon and the “excitement and everybody watching.”

“We weren’t Democrat or Republican,” Romero said. “We were Americans watching Americans get to the moon.”

She said that America is the land of opportunity, and the values are there.

“We are ready to set aside our label and say, ‘I am going to vote for the person no matter if it is a D or R or I, whatever it is, but the one who will make a brighter future for our children and our grandchildren,” Romero said.

Thomas Cole, a former candidate for U.S. Congress, said he enjoyed the talk.

“I thought that Madam Romero brought up some good issues that are on everyone’s mind right now,” Cole said. “Our children’s education, borders. These are common sense issues that cross party lines, and we were glad to hear from her.”