Embattled Fort Bend County Judge KP George announced June 18 that he intends to run for re-election – but he will do so as a Republican, according to news reports from multiple print and broadcast outlets across the Houston area.

“Over the past few years, it’s become increasingly clear to me, and to many others, that the Democratic Party has embraced a corrupt and radical ideology,” George said in his news conference, according to KHOU Channel 11. “Its positions no longer reflect the values of Fort Bend County families, small businesses, and hardworking residents.”

George was elected as a Democrat in 2018 and 2022. His party switch will now give Republicans a 3-2 majority on Fort Bend County commissioners court. George is expected to face Former Sugar Land city council member Daniel Wong in the Republican primary.

George is currently facing criminal charges, including two felony counts of money laundering and separate misdemeanor case with misrepresentation of identity as a candidate tied to a social media hoax. As reported by KHOU Channel 11, George also revealed during the press conference that he was offered a deal to have felony charges dropped if he agreed to resign. The claim was denied by the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, according to the TV station.

Reaction across the community was swift. Jennifer Cantu, chairwoman for the Fort Bend County Democratic Party, said in a statement after George’s announcement, as reported by KHOU: “Judge George’s sudden departure from the Democratic Party when his campaign of outrage and intimidation against the District Attorney and our Courts raises some important questions, and my counterpart in the Republican Party should be concerned about how quickly Judge George has decided to change his affiliation.”

Representative Jacey Jetton, a Republican, said on Facebook: “KP George has not proven that he understands what Republicans stand for, and he has not shown any real intention to lead as one. His sudden party switch, after multiple indictments that even a Democrat DA and Democrat judge could not overlook, is clearly political maneuvering—not a genuine shift in values. Trying to play the victim now is not a strategy Republican voters should fall for in a Republican primary. And Fort Bend County voters are not going to reward this kind of behavior with another term.”

Precinct 4 County Commissioner Dexter McCoy, a Democrat, called on George to resign, according to a story on Houston Public Media. "Let us be clear — this is not a matter of political ideology," McCoy said. "It is a matter of integrity.”