Chris Lange, FISM News
Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang has officially left the Democratic party.
Yang, now registered as an Independent, made the stunning announcement in a blog he posted to his website Monday. “I’m confident that no longer being a Democrat is the right thing,” he writes. He calls his decision to switch parties a “strangely emotional” one and attributes the move to a “shifting mindset.”
“I believe I can reach people who are outside the system more effectively. I feel more . . . independent,” he said, referring to his relationship with the Democratic party as “an odd fit.” He went on saying, “I’m practical. Making partisan arguments – particularly expressing what I often see as performative sentiment – is sometimes uncomfortable for me. I often think, ‘Okay, what can we actually do to solve the problem?’ I’m pretty sure there are others who feel the same way I do.”
Yang goes on to recount his long history with the blue party, saying he once considered himself a “staunch Democrat,” listing his liberal credentials. He also refers to his many friendships with left-leaning activists, elected officials, and other friends and confidantes he says are “entrenched in the Democratic party.”
In 2017, the New York lawyer-turned-entrepreneur launched his bid to become the Democratic nominee for the 2020 presidential race. Considered a long shot, he managed to amass an impressive legion of supporters who call themselves the “Yang Gang.” In a crowded field of presidential hopefuls, Yang stood out, in part, due to an impressive social media strategy.
Yang frequently referred to himself as a “math guy” and embraced an anti-capitalism approach to economics. During his campaign, he gained media attention for promising to pay every American $1,000 through a “Freedom Dividend.” Yang dropped out of the race in February of 2020 and later made an unsuccessful bid to replace fellow Democrat Bill De Blasio as mayor of New York City.
Without announcing any specific plans for the immediate future, Yang indicated that he is not particularly driven to run for office again but vowed to continue “to do as much as I can to advance our society.” He also lamented the nation’s steeply-divided two-party system which he feels has left Americans “stuck.”
The duopoly has lasted for 130 years – despite being wildly opposed to the vision of the founders. It’s not working and it’s well past time for a change.
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) October 5, 2021