Democratic Brooklyn City Councilman Ari Kagan is officially switching parties—announcing that as of Monday, he’s a Republican. “Every month I was asking myself, ‘Why am I still a Democrat?’” Kagan said in a press conference at City Hall, according to the New York Daily News. “It’s not about numbers or an election. It’s about sending a message.” Kagan – an immigrant from Belarus – cited rising crime statistics and progressive criminal justice reforms as the biggest reasons behind his decision, saying: “The Democratic Party in New York was moving to [the] left at such a speed I couldn’t keep up. I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party left me.” He also promised to run in a neighboring district after his current one was redrawn recently by an independent commission. Other New York City Democrats weren’t happy about Kagan’s decision—with another councilman, Justin Brannan, who also represents Bay Ridge, calling it “pure political opportunism.” Mayor Eric Adams, however, demurred when asked about the news. “[Kagan] has to do what he thinks is best,” he said.