Prominent New York Democrat joins the GOP after recognizing that the 'Democratic Party turns its back on its friends, like Israel'

 After spending a lifetime as a Democrat, former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind has officially joined the Republican Party, citing the radicalism and anti-Semitism growing ever worse worse in his former party.

Hikind, the 73-year-old founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, was first elected to the NYS Assembly in 1982 and went on to serve as majority whip. He won his last election in 2014 against Republican Nachman Caller in a landslide.

In a video posted to his Twitter page this week featuring Hikind and his wife, Shani Hikind, the lawmaker of 36 years noted that not only was he a lifelong Democrat, but his parents and family had been as well.

"But that's over. That's finished," Hikind announced Thursday. "I have decided to register as a Republican."

Hikind made his announcement within days of nine House Democrats voting against a resolution expressing America's support for Israel; the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus having to apologize after calling Israel "a racist state"; and numerous Democrats refusing to attend Israeli President Isaac Herzog's speech to Congress. 

On July 16, he appeared ready to jump ship, tweeting, "The Democratic party is dead. The radical Progressives are in full control. Its time to jump Ship. @POTUS you are responsible." 

"Unfortunately, the Democratic Party has become so radicalized, so radical, run by the radicals, that people who are moderates or conservative Democrats are not welcomed in the Democratic Party," said Hikind. "And I've had enough."

The Orthodox Jewish activist underscored that the Democratic Party "turns its back on its friends, like Israel," noting that this has been further evidenced by the Biden administration's policies.

WIBC reported that Hikind previously endorsed former President Donald Trump in 2020 on account of his work supporting Jews and Israel.

For instance, Trump signed a proclamation in 2017, ordering the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Shani Hikind noted in the video that she was "totally convinced that this is the right move for you, for me, for my friends, all of us who feel that the Democratic Party no longer represents our interests, what we stand for, our values. ... This is not a party that represents our values, what we believe, how we feel about America, its history."

Former Assemblyman Hikind — who appeared to be hinting at a possible political campaign — is one among a number of prominent Democrat lawmakers who have abandoned their party, finding it unrecognizable.

TheBlaze reported last week that Georgia state Rep. Mesha Mainor announced she was switching parties and becoming a Republican.

Mainor said, "I represent a blue district in the city of Atlanta so this wasn't a political decision for me. It was a MORAL one. I will NEVER apologize for being a black woman with a mind of my own."

She has since been barraged by vicious, racially charged vitriol and hate-filled messages.

In April, a West Virginia lawmaker jumped ship. On his way out, Delegate Elliot Pritt told the state House Democratic Caucus in a letter, "It has become more and more obvious that there is very little room in the party for traditional values or differences regarding political opinion."

Louisiana state Reps. Jeremy LaCombe and Francis Thompson also switched parties earlier this year, as did North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham, who helped ensure that Republicans were able to pass legislation saving kids from sex-change mutilations.

Last summer, PBS raised the alarm, noting well over 1 million voters across 43 states had switched to the Republican party in 2022.