Rep Ralph Hall (D-TX) To Switch Parties

Fox News Channel | 01-02-04 | Tall_Texan

[Tall_Texan]

I'm still waiting for the new boundaries to shake out but I agree with your assessment. I've always liked Stenholm because he does (at least sometimes) stand up to Dem leadership, although I really miss Jim Trafficant.

I don't mind having some people who disagree as long as they've shown they've thought through it and come to their own conclusions rather than reading the latest DNC or RNC fax. My feelings are the same about Ron Paul. I don't always agree with him but I also don't think he's anyone's stooge.

Hall is too old to be a major victory for the party so I don't think it really matters but I'm glad at least one Democrat can see the handwriting and is doing what he has to in order to survive politically. At 80, you wonder why he doesn't just retire.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"He's got some competition it seems in the primary....."

---

Don't worry about it, Hall's announcement will lead several of those Republicans to drop out of the race, and those that don't won't stand a chance against Hall. He'll get near-universal support in Grayson, Collin, Rockwall and the other counties he currently represents, and Bush's endorsement will get him majorities in the Texarcana area as well.

Hall's switch guarantees that RAT Congressman Max Sandlin will not be able to switch to the 4th CD race (like 40% of whose voters are his current constituents) and pull of an upset in the redrawn district. Hall will likely serve just one more term and then leave the seat to his son, who is a Republican judge (they're elected in TX, you know).

[deport]

If the new districts are adopted then I see it as a more open primary. I read somewhere that Hall has a large amount of new voters [430,000 new constituents] in the new district. If the redistricting is struck down by the Courts then I agree Hall could run in his old district and be elected with ease. It votes about 60% or more Republican in statewide races so he's getting Republican voters.

[wjcsux]

In Texas, a conservative Democrate is not an oxymoron; in fact its commonplace. He had no need to switch.
I think he sees the handwriting on the wall. The RATS are going to get bitch slapped big time in Nov. Watch for more conservative Democrats defecting, especially in the south. If Dean gets the RAT nomination, I believe most of the conservatives left will jump ship.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"If the new districts are adopted then I see it as a more open primary. I read somewhere that Hall has a large amount of new voters [430,000 new constituents] in the new district."

---

It is true that Hall currently represents only 34% of the redrawn district's population. But another 12% of the population comes from the Republican 3rd and 6th districts and are in Collin County, part of which Hall has represented for years. And the 46% of the district where Hall is universally known happens to be the most Republican part of the district, and it would not surprise me if that 46% of the population cast over 55% of the vote in the GOP primary. And winning the GOP primary will actually be the hard part for Hall, since the district is so heavily Republican (its combined GOP statewide contested-race vote was 63% in 2002) that the only Democrats who could win were (i) Ralph Hall or (ii) Congressman Max Sandlin if he faced an unknown Republican who refused to run TV ads. And as I wrote before, Hall's switch will pretty much clear the field on the GOP side, even without Rove's help (and you know Karl will do whatever he can to help W's buddy Ralph). I think Ralph Hall is in the clear, and so do the Democrats.

[Redbob]

"glad to have him?? 22 years of being on the other side and you'll claim him in less than a day?? I hope Ralph Nader doesn't run for the GOP nomination!"

In order for that to be a fair comparison, Ralph Nader to Ralph Hall, you'd have to be able to demonstrate that Mr. Nader had a consistently conservative voting record in the House of Representatives, as Mr. Hall does, and was a staunch supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, as Mr. Hall is.

My personal feeling, however, is that Ralph switched parties just so he could run one more time, then "bequeath" his seat to his son.

[Redbob]

"The Texas Democratic Party has become a party of Blacks, Hispanics, and White Liberals."

In all fairness, that should read "LIBERAL Blacks, LIBERAL Hispanics, and White Liberals."

Thus mirroring the Dimocratic Party in other states.

[Redbob]

"Could Charles Stenholm be persuaded to switch partys?"

Check Stenholm's voting record before you make such a wish!

While he's often mentioned in the same breath as Ralph Hall, Charlie Stenholm is nowhere near as conservative as Hall:
For '02, Stenholm got a 50% rating from the American Conservative Union, while Hall got an 88%.

In fact, Hall's voting record only falls below that of Tom DeLay due to his voting in favor of HR 4931, which would not have allowed U.S. firms to incorporate in foreign nations with lower tax rates.

[Redbob]

"What's the use of having more "R"s if the "R"s vote like "D"s?"

A true statement, but one that certainly doesn't apply in this case.
Do just a little research before you comment.

[Redbob]

"Hall is too old to be a major victory for the party... At 80, you wonder why he doesn't just retire."

Because he wants to hand a "safe" seat over to his son.
Who must be some sort of ne'er-do-well if he hasn't struck out on his own by now...

[William Terrell]

My statement is general. The same hurrah occurs when any democrat changes parties. This one is a Zell Miller? That's great! That's also rare. Hence the general statement.

[ricer1]

I'm not all that happy that Ralph Hall has switched parties... I've enjoyed the fact that he's been a twisting knife in the back of the dumborat party. But, welcome home anyway, Mr. Hall.