Here we are once more -- another Democrat has seen the light, and she made the switch to the Republican Party, which continues what seems to be a trend as far as party-switching is concerned.

According to JustTheNews, State Rep. Peri Pourier, who is Oglala Lakota, announced that she's switching to the other side, sending shockwaves through the Democratic Party of South Dakota.

Her reasoning was simple and true -- the Republican Party's priorities and concerns more closely match her own as opposed to her former party.

The switch was devastating for South Dakota Democrats, as it means only five Democrats are left in the state house. There are 65 Republicans.

What's going on?

The former Democrat used her Facebook page to announce the move to the other side of the aisle, and she held nothing back in the process.

"I represent communities where hardship is not theoretical, it is lived daily, passed down through generations," Pourier wrote. "Our elders and our children endure conditions that defy the promises of the Constitution. Basic rights and protections that many Americans take for granted remain out of reach in Indian Country."

"Addiction, violence, and unresolved tragedies persist," she continued.

"Families grieve the loss of children to suicide, homicide, and disappearance. Public safety and the rule of law, the foundations of a functioning society, are breaking down, and with them, any pathway toward sustainable prosperity."

South Dakota Democratic lawmaker switches registration to Republican:
South Dakota state Rep. Peri Pourier, who had been a Democrat, announced Monday that she switched her voter registration to Republican.

"I have formally changed my voter registration… https://t.co/n11BP2TRsM

— Elwin Sidney (@ElwinSidney) September 23, 2025

She even argued that the Republican Party's values align with tribal sovereignty and that Democrats in her state are the exact opposite at this point in time.

"Not about partisan loyalty"

She continued her well-written reasoning for the switch by stressing that her choice is about "loyalty to the people."

"Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 forced a one-size-fits-all model of governance that disregarded traditional systems and tied federal funding to this imposed framework," she wrote. "What was presented as empowerment ultimately diminished nationhood, reinforced federal control and depilating any hope of self-sufficiency. The long-term consequences of such federal policy failures are still felt on the Pine Ridge Reservation today."

She added, "This is not about partisan loyalty. It is about loyalty to the people."

It'll be interesting to see how many other Democrats follow suit. There will be more to come.