Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz announced Tuesday on Newsmax that he plans to campaign for Republican candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, marking a significant break from his six decades of affiliation with the Democratic Party.
Democrats have increasingly used harsh language to criticize President Donald Trump, with former Vice President Kamala Harris calling him a “fascist” during the 2024 campaign and Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas comparing him to “Hitler.”
In an appearance on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” Dershowitz said such rhetoric reflects a broader embrace of political extremism within the Democratic Party. He argued that the party has strayed from core constitutional principles — a shift he said compelled him to leave after more than 60 years of support.
“They’re [Democrats] not succeeding in persuading the American people that they’re up to a leadership role, which is why, after me being a Democrat for 60 or more years, I am now going to campaign very hard for the Republicans to maintain control of the House and the Senate. Not because I love the Republican agenda,” Dershowitz told host Greta Van Susteren.
“It’s because I’m totally frightened if the Democrats were to gain control of either House. Who they would appoint as chair people? Who they would put in the position of inquisitors, and how they would deny rights to people, and how they would introduce a kind of McCarthyism that we haven’t seen since I was a college student in the 1950s?” he added.
Dershowitz pointed out Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman as one of the few Democrats who still prioritize principles and bipartisanship, though Fetterman almost always votes with his party.
“It’s left-wing McCarthyism. We’re seeing it throughout the Democratic Party with a few exceptions, like the great Senator Fetterman, who you interviewed, who really is the one person who represents principle, represents honesty, and really nonpartisan approaches in the Democratic Party,” Dershowitz said, adding that his former party has shifted to the hard left.
“I wish his colleagues would learn from him, but they don’t. They are moving toward the extreme, extreme left, and the only thing they care about is trying to hurt President Trump,” Dershowitz added.
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten said Tuesday that 52% of voters believe President Donald Trump is fulfilling the promises he made during his 2024 campaign. Enten noted that Trump’s steady 43% approval rating indicates that voters continue to back his handling of major issues such as border security, inflation, and crime.
Trump’s approval rating stood at 44% in October 2024, suggesting little movement in overall public opinion. Analysts say his consistent support could pose a significant challenge for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Recent polling shows Democrats holding only a narrow advantage in generic congressional matchups, with a New York Times survey giving them a two-point lead and a Yahoo/YouGov poll showing a four-point edge, though that doesn’t jibe with polling earlier this year showing the Democratic Party’s approval rating below 30 percent.
In March, Dershowitz claimed to have knowledge of a list of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged clients.
“I know the names of the individuals. I know why they’re being suppressed. I know who’s suppressing them,” Dershowitz told the host during an appearance on “The Sean Spicer Show” that was originally broadcast on March 19 and was reposted on social media last week.
“But I’m bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases, and I can’t disclose what I know,” he added, going on to say that he was once falsely accused of being a client.
The Trump administration vowed earlier this year to release all information pertaining to Epstein. But the White House reversed course in April, with the Justice Department claiming there is no conspiracy surrounding his death and no further information regarding clients that hasn’t already been released.