Westlund chooses Democrat as his label (Oregon RINO changes parties)

The Oregonean ^ | December 13, 2006 | Michelle Cole

[Clintonfatigued]

State Sen. Ben Westlund, who dropped out of the Republican Party and declared himself an independent earlier this year, has changed his mind again.

Now he's a Democrat.

"Being independent doesn't mean you stand alone. It means you stand with the people whose values you share," Westlund said Tuesday after officially registering as a Democrat at his county elections office.

It was only this summer that Westlund was running for governor as an independent and claiming his independent status "very liberating."

"I'm not playing to this base or that base," he said then.

But that was before Westlund quit the governor's race and before the November election when Democrats seized control of the governor's office, state Senate and House.

Westlund, 57, said Tuesday that the outcome of the election had little to do with his decision, which he made during the weekend after consulting only his family.

"Democrats are more passionate about the issue I'm most passionate about, and that's universal health care," he said.

[Clintonfatigued]

I have read speculation that Westlund may run against Gordon Smith in 2008.

[Alter Kaker]

Smith is in deep trouble, as are all the RINOs in blue states (cough Collins).

[thiscouldbemoreconfusing]

Wisdom from an office cleaner.

"Being independent doesn't mean you stand alone. It means you stand with the people whose values you share,"

The man cleaning my office, while looking over my shoulder and reading this post said: "Judge, I've never heard of a democrat with any values."

[fieldmarshaldj]

At least this turncoat is in the right party.

[California Patriot]

Yeah, good riddance.

[Salvation]

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[Clinging Bitterly]

Well a dude may as well be honest about who he is (coughSaxtonMannix).