Andrew Yang ‘Breaking Up’ With Democrats

Former Democratic presidential candidate and lifelong Democrat Andrew Yang announced his departure from the Democratic Party in an Oct. 4 blog post. After 25 years as a Democrat, Yang is now registered as an Independent, according to the post.

In the post, titled “Breaking Up With the Democratic Party,” Yang discusses his decision to distance himself from the party. Yang states he is “confident that no longer being a Democrat is the right thing.” He notes that there was always an “odd fit” between himself and the Democratic Party, writing “I’m not very ideological. I’m practical.” Yang points out that he desired more to make an impact than to hold an elected office, saying “breaking up with the Democratic Party feels like the right thing to do because I believe I can have a greater impact this way.”

However, Yang warns against the shift for Democrats considering a break from the party, stating that “doing so could disenfranchise you if you live in the 83% of the country that is very blue or very red.”

Yang goes on to describe his history as a member of the party since 1995. Yang notes that he voted for various Democratic presidential candidates, including former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. He also discusses his fundraising efforts for candidates such as former Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry and Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia.

This move follows Yang’s June decision to concede defeat, ending his New York City mayoral campaign with a letter that reads: “I am not going to be the next mayor of New York City based upon the numbers.” Following this defeat on top of his failed presidential campaign, some reports suggest Yang intends to launch his own political party.