Dale Girard, a New Hampshire state representative and the mayor of Claremont, announced that he has formally left the Democratic Party and registered as a Republican.

“This morning, I went to Claremont City Hall and officially changed my party affiliation to the Republican Party,” Girard wrote in a Facebook post.

Girard said the decision came after “a great deal of thought and consideration” and emphasized that it was not motivated by any personal dispute with Democratic leadership.

“I want to be clear, this is not a reflection of any issue I have with Democratic Party leadership,” he wrote. “However, during my time serving as a Representative in Concord, I came to realize that my personal ideologies did not align as closely with the party as I once believed.”

Girard described the switch as a reflection of how he has voted in recent years.

“Over the years, many have described me as a ‘Blue Dog Democrat,’ a label more common in the John F. Kennedy era than in today’s political climate,” he wrote. “My voting record over the past two years has often aligned more closely with Republican positions, and this change reflects that reality.”

He also sought to reassure local residents that the party change would not affect his approach to governing, especially in his role as mayor.

“That said, changing my party affiliation does not change who I am,” Girard wrote. “My commitment remains the same: to represent the best interests of the City of Claremont, the Town of Croydon, and the State of New Hampshire.”

“This also does not affect my role as Mayor, which is a nonpartisan position,” he added.

Girard said he intends to carry the party switch into the next election cycle.

“If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I look forward to continuing my work in Concord and will be running as a Republican in the next election cycle, which opens in early June,” he wrote.

The announcement was quickly celebrated by Republicans online, with social media posts describing the move as a “REPUBLICAN FLIP” and a “Big win for @NHGOP.”

For New Hampshire Republicans, the switch may be viewed as another example of ongoing political realignment heading into the midterm elections.

For Girard, however, the explanation was straightforward: he said his priorities have not changed, only the party affiliation he believes better reflects them.