Less than two months after winning election as a Republican in a traditionally Republican district, Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson on Monday announced his switch to the Democratic Party in a move he maintains will allow him to seek common ground and best policies over partisan politics.

"When I first got into politics four years ago, I ran specifically to support and advocate best policies over partisan ideology and I committed to being the kind of leader that would work to find common ground and to do things differently," Johanson, who represents the Fort Shafter-Moanalua Gardens-Aliamanu House district, said at a news conference fronting the Queen Liliuokalani Statue on the grounds of the state Capitol.

"Increasingly that has put me at odds with many in the Republican Party here locally and it’s one of the reasons that has given me pause to evaluate where I belong and where I am," he added. "As a consequence, because I think many in the local Republican Party are becoming more narrow in their demand for ideological purity as well as their demand for a combative tone and posture, I have decided to switch parties."

Johanson leaves as the House minority leader position remains in flux. Republicans gained one seat in the November elections and support was divided. Johanson said the leadership fight played no role in his decision to change parties.

"This has been a very deliberative, personal process for me and I wouldn’t make such a decision just based on any one position or maneuver," he said.

Johanson, who was the minority leader in the state House the past two years, made the announcement surrounded by family and members of the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, who welcomed him to their caucus.

"I’m very happy that Aaron is joining us," House Speaker Joe Souki (D, Waihee-Waiehu-Wailuku) said. "He’s a very qualified person with a big future ahead of him."

Johanson joins the caucus after leadership and committee assignments already have been distributed. Souki said there are no immediate changes planned and that Johanson was not promised any leadership position for making the switch.

"We will discuss it in the future," Souki said.

Pat Saiki, the state Republican Party chairwoman, said she was disappointed in Johanson’s decision, adding that voters should not consider him trustworthy in the future.

"I think it’s a real disappointment that a person like Aaron, who was minority leader, would be willing to sacrifice his political principles for his own ambition," Saiki said at GOP headquarters. "I thought he had a lot more mettle than that.

"He just won an election two months ago and he gave his voters the impression that he was a Republican and stood up for our principles. Now he turns around and goes against his own word. Anybody who gives his word and goes back on that word can’t be trusted."

Johanson’s leadership has been questioned before. Two years ago it was over his decision to align the seven-member GOP caucus with Democrats trying to topple longtime Speaker Calvin Say in favor of Souki. Republicans received three committee co-chairmanships in return.

Rep. Bob McDermott (R, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) openly questioned Johanson’s leadership during the 2013 special session on marriage equality, trying to have him replaced with former leader Rep. Gene Ward because Johanson would not seek to dissolve the bipartisan coalition and remove Rep. Cynthia Thielen from the House Judiciary Committee. Thielen was the only Republican to support same-sex marriage.

The GOP leadership battle remained unsettled late Monday.

Ward (R, Kalama Valley-Queen’s Gate-Hawaii Kai) said Johanson’s party switch amid leadership negotiations was "a bit abrupt, late and unusual."

"At the same time his increasing intimacy with the Democrat leadership accompanied by his increasingly passive leadership role in our caucus exhibited over the past months indicated that something was going on inside him," Ward said in an email. "Whatever his motivation, I wish him the best in his new role with the Democrats, though regret his switching parties signals his giving up the fight for a two-party system in Hawaii — something the people of Hawaii need more than adding to the supermajority of the Democrats."

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On vacation: June Watanabe is on vacation. “Kokua Line” returns Jan. 6.