‘This Is The Time To Make That Statement’: Kentucky Senator Explains Why She Left Democrats

Longtime Kentucky Democrat Sen. Robin Webb said on Fox News Monday that she’s switching parties, citing a fundamental clash between her values and the direction of today’s Democrats.

Webb announced she is returning to the Republican Party after serving as a Democrat since 1999. During an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle,” Webb said her decision to rejoin the GOP stems from an internal battle she’s fought for years, torn between her deep-rooted rural values and the national party’s growing tilt toward progressive ideology.

“So the rural values that we have grown up with and value, it’s just been a continuous struggle for me, and my voting record has been consistent on those issues as far as conservatism, constitutionalism, and all those things,” Webb said. “So I feel like this is the time to make that statement and go back to the Republican Party.”

Webb said the Democrats Party’s increasing embrace of progressive ideology, on issues like abortion, gender identity, and anti-Israel activism, left her no choice but to sever ties.

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“When I chose to go into mining as a coal miner with the time of worker safety and those issues, and being an actual coal miner, I think that’s when I switched to the Democrat Party,” Webb said. “I’ve been a rural state senator and always conservative. My first house district was actually a Republican district. I represented them for 10 years. I’m a rancher. I’m a hunter. I’m conservative. I’m a member of the pro-Israel caucus, and our heart goes out to Colorado tonight with the tragedy that struck there.”

Webb’s voting record reflects her conservative stance on key social issues. In March 2025, she voted to override Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of House Bill 495, thereby supporting legislation that protects conversion therapy and prohibits Medicaid from covering transgender-affirming medical care. Additionally, she voted to override the governor’s veto of House Bill 90, which defined specific emergency conditions under which abortion could be performed, effectively limiting access to the procedure. (RELATED: ‘Finish This Party Off’: Former Clinton Pollster Warns AOC Challenging Chuck Schumer Could Be Final Blow For Democrats)

Webb’s departure delivers another blow to a Democratic Party already losing ground with working-class and rural voters. The Democratic Party’s favorability rating plummeted to a new low of 29%, according to a poll conducted from March 6-9.

Polling from April and May 2025 says that the Democratic Party continues to struggle with public perception. A CNN/SSRS survey found that only 16% of Americans view Democrats as strong leaders, compared to 40% for Republicans. Just 19% believe Democrats can get things done, while 36% say the same about Republicans.

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