Kim Davis Switches Parties, Now a Republican

The Kentucky clerk says the Democratic Party left her a long time ago, so she's doing the same.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

September 25 2015 11:21 AM EST

September 25 2015 11:47 AM EST

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Even though she's a heroine to many conservative Republicans, marriage equality opponent and Kentucky lightning rod Kim Davis has for years been a registered Democrat. No longer: she's now a proud member of the GOP.

"My husband and I had talked about it for quite a while and we came to the conclusion that the Democratic Party left us a long time ago, so why were we hanging on?" she told Reuters in Washington, where she'll be celebrated Friday at an event for the Family Research Council, which is designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an antigay "hate group."

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has been a supporter of Davis, even emceeing a rally for her in Kentucky after she was released earlier this month from jail, where she'd been for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He cited Davis as proof that their antigay views aren't exclusive to Republicans. Huckabee declared, "God showed up, and he showed up in the form of an elected Democrat."

But Huckabee shouldn't expect to have Davis on the campaign trail. She told Reuters that the idea she'd campaign for any Republican is "kind of far-fetched."

Davis is now on a media tour far from her humble office in Kentucky. Her disobeying of orders, including from the Supreme Court, led to her arrest. She was eventually released after other clerks in her office issued licenses to same-sex couples. Davis refused to have her name, title, and any mention of Rowan County on the licenses, which violates a judge's order and could throw their validity into doubt. Davis told Reuters the licenses are indeed valid.