A Democratic state senator is switching parties to become a Republican in the far-left state of California.
Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil had flipped the seat in the 4th Senate District from red to blue, but according to a Politico report, she's changing her political affiliation.
Alvarado-Gil has been known as a moderate Democrat who has challenged the Democratic Party on many issues, including bills related to retail theft, a growing concern in California.
She also represents a Republican-leaning district that would be difficult to defend when she comes up for re-election in 2026. About 39% of the residents in the district are registered as Republicans while only 34% are registered as Democrats, according to state records.