CA assembly member leaves Republican Party, joins Democratic Party

Brian Maienschein, a Republican assembly member from San Diego, announced Thursday that he is leaving the Republican Party and will join the Democratic Party. Maienschein represents the 77th Assembly district. Maienschein said the reason for the change is the Republican Party’s shift to a right extreme. "As the Republican Party has drifted further right, I and my votes have shifted to the left," he said. "As a single father to two girls, I am guided by my hopes and my dreams for their future." This change means that Democrats now have 61 seats in the Assembly, while Republicans only have 19. Maienschein is the fifth California Assembly member since 1995 to change parties while in office.