Long-time El Cajon City Councilman Gary Kendrick denounces Republican Party, switches affiliation to Democrat

By Paul Levikow

February 9, 2026 (El Cajon) – El Cajon City Councilman Gary Kendrick, a life-long Republican, announced Monday that he is switching his party affiliation and joining the Democratic Party. Kendrick made the declaration at a news conference in front of El Cajon City Hall surrounded by supporters and Democratic Party officials.

He cited the city’s resolution passed last year announcing El Cajon’s intent to have local police officers collaborate with federal immigration officials in violation of state law as one of the reasons he made the switch.

“As the longest-serving Republican in municipal office in San Diego County, I cannot ignore the Republican Party’s betrayal of our immigrant community, nor its disastrous impacts on the people of El Cajon,” Kendrick said. “Forcing our police to break the law sends the wrong message to El Cajon residents and erodes the public’s trust in our law enforcement officers.  Victims and witnesses in our most vulnerable communities are scared to talk to the police, because they might have a friend or a relative with undocumented status—or they worry they’ll be targeted because of the way they look.”