NEW: Buchanan County Sheriff switches to Republican Party

Buchanan County Sheriff John McClanahan has announced that he is switching political parties after being elected as a Democrat last year.

McClanahan was approved Tuesday evening as the newest member of the county’s Republican Party. He cited a Democratic attack on law enforcement on the state and federal level in his decision to resign.

In a statement, the sheriff said that a party that pushes for the defunding of police is not the party of years past and he looks forward to working across the aisle in the future because the county is focused on the community and not politics.

(LOGO: BC VIRGINIA GOP)