Half a century ago, Ronald Reagan, the man whose relentless optimism inspired me to enter politics, famously said that he didn't leave the Democratic Party the party left him. I can certainly relate. I didn't leave the Republican Party it left me.

I'll continue to fight for school choice and home schooling. Do I believe in accountability? You bet I do.

As a former lifelong Republican, it pains me to tell you that today's Republicans - and their standard-bearers, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan - just aren't up to the task. They're beholden to 'my way or the highway' bullies, indebted to billionaires who bankroll ads and allergic to the very idea of compromise.

When I was a Republican governor, he was obviously a Democratic president, but on issue after issue after issue, President Obama was very helpful to us in education, in the environment, with the handling of the BP oil spill.

When I look at President Obama, I see a leader with a cool head, a caring heart and an open mind, a president who has demonstrated through his demeanor and through his deeds that he is uniquely qualified to heal our divisions, rebuild our nation and lead us to a brighter future together.

You know, as attorney general, there's no issue more important than making sure you are safe, that your families are safe.

I've decided to do it, for the pure and simple reason that I just think it's the right thing to do.

DiCaprio left the party with 20 women? I did that in 2012!

I'm here tonight, not as a Republican, not as a Democrat, but as an optimistic American who understands that we must come together behind the one man who can lead the way forward in these challenging times: my president, our president, Barack Obama!

I'm pro-life. I'm pro-gun. I'm pro-family. And I'm pro-business.

I don't want a lot of bureaucracy... I want to run state government the same way we run a campaign - efficient, effective and victorious.

I didn't leave the Republican Party. It left me.