Ana Navarro has offered a strikingly practical explanation for why she remains registered as a Republican despite her fierce criticism of President Donald Trump.

The former Republican strategist said Tuesday on “The View” that her decision comes down to voting power in Florida, as reported by The New York Post.

Actor Michael Douglas raised the question during his appearance on the daytime program, telling Navarro that he admired her before asking why she had not abandoned the Republican label and registered as an independent.

“I have to ask you something,” Douglas began. “I’ve admired you now so much for the last couple of years … But why aren’t you independent? How can you still be a Republican?”

Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

The question prompted laughter from Navarro, her fellow hosts and the studio audience. Navarro then explained that Florida’s closed primaries are the decisive factor behind her continued Republican registration.

“I’ll tell you why, because I live in Florida where the primaries are closed, and I want to be able to vote in the primaries and vote against those sons of b—-es,” Navarro said, adding, she hoped to “make a difference in the primaries.”

Her answer presented the registration as a tool for participating in Republican primary contests. It also addressed a question that has repeatedly followed Navarro as her political positions have increasingly aligned with those of her cohosts on the left.

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

Over the years, conservatives have criticized Navarro for continuing to identify as a Republican while supporting many of the same policies as her fellow panelists. Her visible involvement with Democrats has added fuel to those complaints.

Navarro was a host at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. She also supported former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election, even while continuing to claim the Republican label.

During an interview this week with Entertainment Weekly, Navarro directly rejected criticism of her party identity. She argued that Trump’s positions, rather than her own, conflict with what she considers traditional Republican beliefs.

“I’d argue that anybody who espouses the same views as Donald Trump isn’t much of a traditional Republican,” Navarro said.

“I’m not going to be lectured to about what a Republican is or isn’t.”

Navarro has previously described herself as belonging to an earlier Republican tradition. In 2019, she told her “The View” cohosts that she had backed former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign.

At the time, Navarro identified herself as an “old-fashioned Republican.” When a cohost asked her to explain what that description meant, she pointed to her support for free trade and a strong foreign policy.

Navarro also said that she is “pro-immigration.” Those positions formed the basis of her explanation for why she still considered herself a Republican, despite the widening disagreements between her and prominent figures in the party.

The issue resurfaced in 2022 when co-host Sunny Hostin confronted Navarro about why she continued to see herself as a Republican. Navarro responded by comparing her political affiliation to Hostin’s relationship with the Catholic Church.

“Why are you still a Catholic?” responded Navarro. “You don’t agree with everything about the Catholic Church.”

Navarro’s political advocacy has continued attracting scrutiny. Last month, ABC and “The View” faced criticism after she encouraged viewers to support a Democratic candidate in an important congressional race in Florida.

Republican consultant Mary Marslender sharply dismissed Navarro’s explanation in comments to Fox News Digital. Marslender called Navarro a token “fake Republican” and argued that maintaining the label benefits her television career rather than reflecting support for the party.

“Ana Navarro doesn’t represent a broader phenomenon of GOP dissidents; she represents a total grift,” she said. “She hasn’t supported anything from her supposed party in over a decade, but she won’t surrender her Republican voting card because it’s a credential that gets her on news programs.”

Marslender also accused “The View” of needing a Republican voice who regularly attacks other Republicans.

“‘The View’ needs a fake Republican who will constantly criticize actual Republicans, the president, and party donors, and she’s keeping the title because it’s her business plan to pull the Republican card meaninglessly,” Marslender added.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Objectivist. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.