Legal scholar and longtime civil liberties advocate Alan Dershowitz has officially registered as a Republican, ending a decades-long association with the Democratic Party. The move, which he announced on April 22, follows a brief period where he identified as an independent after leaving the Democrats in 2024.
Dershowitz framed the decision as a shift in personal priorities rather than a change in his core ideology. Describing himself as a “traditional liberal” and “civil libertarian,” he noted that while his values regarding free speech, meritocracy, and intellectual diversity remain intact, the political landscape has shifted around him.
He admitted that even a decade ago, he “couldn’t have imagined” calling himself a Republican, but now views the GOP as the “lesser of two evils.”
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Foreign policy serves as the primary catalyst for the change. Dershowitz explicitly labeled himself a “foreign policy Republican,” citing what he describes as a “dramatic shift” within Democratic leadership away from supporting Israel. He claimed the Democratic Party has become “the most anti-Israel party in modern history” and accused it of embracing antisemitism.
“You cannot join the crowds shouting anti-Israel and anti-Semitic slogans—nor can you stand by in silence as these thugs gain more power within the Democratic Party,” Dershowitz said. He emphasized that for him, staying independent felt like a “cop out” that offered no real influence over party policy.
Despite the new registration, Dershowitz acknowledged significant friction with his new party. He stated that he continues to support much of the Democratic platform regarding domestic issues, including abortion, immigration, and the separation of church and state.
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However, he argued that the current global climate requires prioritizing the fight against anti-Zionism.
Dershowitz noted that he expects to lose more friends over this decision, similar to the backlash he faced for defending Donald Trump’s constitutional rights. Nevertheless, he expressed a commitment to preventing the current Democratic Party from controlling the House, Senate, or Presidency “until the Democrats gain their sanity.”
“I have made a choice—a difficult but necessary one,” he said, citing the need to stand with the party he believes is currently stronger on the “gravest issues facing America and the world.”
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