The Short Version
Chuck Norris did publicly state — in multiple videos and at a 2014 Greg Abbott rally — that he "used to be a Democrat" but left because "the Democrats went too far to the left." Snopes rated the quote as authentic, and primary-source video transcripts corroborate the wording. The quote dates to the 2012–2015 period and is often shared in shortened form, but its core meaning is accurately represented by the claim.