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Ana Navarro’s explanation for why she still calls herself a Republican was short, blunt, and very strategic. On ABC’s The View she told guest Michael Douglas that she stays registered with the GOP in Florida so she can vote in closed primaries and “vote against those sons of b—-s.” She doubled down in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying the modern party that follows President Donald Trump is not the “traditional Republican” she once knew.
What Ana Navarro actually said on air
On live television, the co-host of The View made it plain: she lives in Florida, and Florida’s primaries are closed. That means only voters registered with a party can vote in that party’s primary. Navarro said she keeps her Republican registration so she can vote in GOP primaries and try to stop candidates she dislikes from winning the nomination. She also told Entertainment Weekly she isn’t a Trump Republican and pushed back at critics who question her use of the GOP label.
Why Florida’s closed primaries make this a political tactic
Closed primaries are a simple rule with big consequences. If you want to pick who appears on the general election ballot for a party, you often must be registered with that party before the deadline. That creates a clear incentive: stay registered so you can affect the outcome. Navarro’s comment is a real-life example of how party labels can be used as tools, not statements of ideology. Voters who don’t like the choice of leaders in one party use registration rules to try to shape those choices from inside.
Strategy or hypocrisy? The difference matters
There’s a difference between tactical voting and honest party identity. Navarro says she’s fighting from within. Conservatives who want real change in the GOP see that as disingenuous. If you call yourself a Republican but spend your time attacking the party’s nominees and boosting the other side, you aren’t exactly strengthening the party — you’re gaming it. That’s a political move, not a principled stance, and people should be honest about which it is.
What voters should take away
Primaries matter. Rules matter. And when a well-known commentator like Ana Navarro admits she stays registered to influence closed primaries, it should make voters on all sides think about strategy and fairness. If you want a voice in a party’s future, register with that party and participate — or be open about being independent instead of pretending your label still reflects your beliefs. Either way, don’t act surprised when politics looks messy; the system invited the game.
