One night after elections in Texas - seven Hardin County officials united in making an announcement that they will change their party affiliation from democrat to republican.

Hardin County Sheriff Ed Cain was joined county judge Billy Caraway, commisioner Bobby Franklin, county attorney Rebecca Walton, justice of the peace Butch Cummings, constable Wayne McDaniel, and J.P. Kent Walker in going red.

12 News Reporter Liz McKernan was at the announcement and talked with some of the new republicans.

It was a celebration for the Republican Party in Hardin County, as six men and one woman publicly announced their switch from blue to red.

"It doesn't change who I am or what I'll be as the sheriff" said Hardin County Sheriff Ed Cain.

Over one hundred people showed up in support of the seven elected officials who all say they made the decision to switch individually, before talking amongst themselves to make the announcement together.

"The democratic party has become viewed as more liberal nationally and conservative democrats are more comfortable with a conservative ideology" said Dave Castle, political science professor at Lamar University.

Castle said while the group announcement is unusual, party switching is not - especially when a traditionally dominant party in an area sees plummeting support at the polls.

"The county is trending so republican that eventually they'll lose to a republican opponent - so better to switch and be a republican than possibly lose your seat" said Castle.

"You have made a commitment to represent to the public that you belong to one party or the other" said Jefferson County democrat Gilbert Adams.

Democratic leader Gilbert Adams would not comment on the change in Hardin County, but said that in general, he disagrees with the action of changing party affiliation while holding an elected position.

"The honerable thing to do and if you are a person of your convictions is to make that change - to resign and stand for re-election" said Adams.

Sheriff Cain said his political switch merely reflects his personal beliefs and political policy.

"I don't agree with everybody, but there's some major changes taking place that I don't completely agree with, and I feel like on a national level, I'll be more in-line here" said Cain.

Hardin County has seen plummeting democratic support at the polls since 1992, when presidential candidate Bill Clinton received forty percent of the vote.

Last year President Obama only garnered nineteen percent of Hardin County's vote.