California GOP lawmaker becomes a Democrat, leaving just 19 Republicans in the state Assembly
And then there were 19.
California Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, re-elected in November as a Republican in the 77th district, announced on Thursday that he has switched parties and is now a Democrat. "Leaving the Republican Party is not easy," Maienschein said in a statement. "I can either keep fighting to change the Republican Party or I can fight for my constituents. I choose to use my energy and skills for the people I represent." President Trump's leadership is one reason he is changing his party affiliation, Maienschein said, but he's also realized that he's not following the GOP in its rightward drift.
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