Fact Check: Did Chuck Norris say 'I used to be a Democrat' and slam them as 'too far left'?

HONOLULU, HAWAII: A rumor spread rapidly online claiming that the actor and action icon Chuck Norris once said he left the Democrats because they moved too far left. The quote began circulating just before and shortly after reports of his death on March 19. His family confirmed he died peacefully but did not share the cause. Here’s what’s really going on behind the rumor.

Claim: Chuck Norris said he used to be a Democrat

A Facebook user named Colin Wayne shared an old photo of Chuck Norris with the caption, “Chuck Norris - “I used to be a Democrat, but unfortunately the Democrats went too far to the left… and lost all reality of what America stood for." He also added, "When longtime voices start walking away, people notice. The shift is real. Do you think the party has changed too much?"

The post quickly went viral across social media, drawing lots of reactions and questions about whether the quote was real. Some users were skeptical. One commented, "It does not mean it’s true just because you copy and pasted a picture with words." Another said, "No way in hell was Chuck Norris ever a Democrat. I'm a Democrat and I don't believe that."

Fact Check: True, the quote attributed to Chuck Norris is real

Chuck Norris did, in fact, say, "I used to be a Democrat, but unfortunately the Democrats went too far to the left … and lost all reality of what America stood for." The quote is real and dates back to 2014, when he spoke at a rally for Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The version widely shared on social media is a shortened excerpt from a longer statement. The claim spread across platforms like Facebook, Reddit, TikTok, and X, with many posts featuring a video of Norris responding to an interview question. Overall, the quote has been accurately attributed to him and reflects the main idea of his longer remarks.

The interview was conducted by Johnny Vasquez of the Open Word News YouTube channel. On October 31, 2014, he uploaded the original video titled 'Chuck Norris Explains Why He's a Republican and Exposes the Modern Democrats.' In the video, Vasquez asks, "Question for you, good sir. Why are you a conservative, sir?" Norris then discusses his political views alongside Vasquez and his wife, Gena O'Kelley.

He explained, "Well, I used to be a Democrat. But unfortunately, the Democrats went too far to the left and the Republicans moved into their position that the Democrats were 40 years ago. And so what the Democrats believed 40 years ago, the Republicans believe today, and so I realized that I had to go to a Republican because the Democrats just got too far off the trail."

He continued, "They just got completely off the trail and lost all reality of what America stood for, and so I realized that Republicans at this point in time are more focused on what is best for America than what the Democrats are."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.