Aspiring politician Tighe Galvin defects to Republican Party for 'important' Midterms

Tighe Galvin was born in America to Irish immigrant parents but the registered Democrat went red these Midterms. Photo / Natalie Akoorie

Tighe Galvin is a registered Democrat born in the United States to Irish immigrant parents – but at 17 he has defected to the Republican Party, working as an intern in Nevada Attorney-General Adam Laxalt's office.

Galvin interned at Laxalt's campaign to become Nevada Governor, which was lost to Democrat Steve Sisolak in last night's 2018 Midterm elections, knocking on doors and phoning thousands of voters in the lead up to election night.

At last night's Republican victory party in a downtown Las Vegas casino, Galvin said the mood was optimistic despite Democrats flipping control from the Republicans in the House of Representatives.

"Obviously we lost the House but not by a big margin and we gained in the Senate. It puts down the 'blue wave' that the media was talking about all this time."

Galvin, himself five days from his 18th birthday and being old enough to vote, said the Midterms were more important than the 2016 Presidential election.

"Because it shows where the country wants to go as a nation, it shows what direction we want to take as the American people."

Galvin grew up in a Democratic family but said this election was too important, a decision that had disappointed his parents.

"They're not big fans. But hopefully they'll just be proud of me doing the work that I want to do and being successful at it."

President Donald Trump's zero tolerance approach to illegal immigration was close to home for Galvin.

"Today in America we're seeing such a divisiveness around it because there's a lot of propaganda going around on both sides and there's a lot of personal emotions around it.

"As a first-generation American myself I want to support immigrants coming here because I know how hard it is and what it means to come here and live the American dream, but my parents did it legally."

The aspiring politician was "absolutely in favour" of the America-first narrative but said he didn't agree with the President's move to repeal birthright citizenship.

"I'm a birthright citizen myself. It's the 14th Amendment. Personally I think if you are born in the United States you have a right to be a United States citizen. I don't support taking that away."

*Natalie Akoorie is in the US courtesy of the State Department Foreign Press Center to report on the 2018 Midterm elections.