Posted on 12/22/2009 8:05:01 AM PST by Danae
POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.
According to a senior GOP aide familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place in this afternoon in his home district in northern Alabama.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Time to slay the fatted calf!
But at this point right now, we need pretty much anyone we can get, so welcome to the good guy team, Congressman.
Anything that pisses off liberals makes my day.
From the sound of it to the Right of McCain.
Right. But a RINO can serve a purpose - a temporary placeholder upon which to build a Republican majority. Until we can get a conservative in.
Shocking development out of Alabama. This district has not had a Republican represent it since at least the start of Reconstruction, 1868.
A radiation oncologist who founded a cancer treatment center, Griffith plans to blast the Democratic health care bill as a prime reason for his decision to switch parties—and is expected to cite his medical background as his authority on the subject.
While the timing of his announcement was unexpected, Griffith’s party switch will not come as a surprise to those familiar with his voting record, which is one of the most conservative among all Democrats.
He has bucked Democratic leadership on nearly all of its major domestic initiatives, including the stimulus package, health care legislation, the cap-and trade energy bill and financial regulatory reform.
He was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the stimulus.
(snip)
After the November off-year elections, he told POLITICO that he wanted to be called an independent Blue Dog and not a Democrat. He said the point of the elections was clear: “I should be nervous.”
(snip)
Griffith now has $619,000 in the bank to run as a Republican, a total boosted by contributions from several of the party’s more-liberal leaders. The political action committee of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer donated $10,000 to Griffith’s reelection this year, and even Pelosi chipped in $4,000—prior to his August remarks.
Sounds more conservative than a whole lot of 'pubbies.
while I agree we don’t need more RINOS, extending the lifeboat to a few wavering Blue Dogs might just be the last chance to stop this whole thing. (wish we could have done that with Ben Nelson, but he was probably demanding that the Pentagon be moved to Omaha)
Don’t be so fast. He’s an asshat. He’s only switching parties to try to stay in power. That’s the ONLY reason.
Rep. Parker Griffith is just moving from the Democrat wing to the Republican wing of the same damn government house. or maybe mansion since he is a member of the ruling class.
But it's interesting to note that he's doing this at the beginning of his career instead of later when he's got his hands dirty year after year and switches for political expedience ala Arlen Spector.
Maybe he was disgusted by what he saw during his short tenure as a Democrat. Or maybe he's just a Trojan horse.
I was about to say, he’s only been in the House since January, too new to even see his overall voting record for the year.
I thought this was coming (not from him as I don’t know who he is) but when I heard that Pelosi had waved off 30-40 Blue Dogs as “transitional seats” that the Libs could afford to lose, it HAD to put some of them to thinking as to just WHAT they are doing in that party.
That may not bode well for him in 2010.
NO MORE RINOS!................
Use him for all he’s worth then kick him to the curb in the next election.
I’m not sure what his whole record is, but there’s a lot to appreciate in that post. Thanks.
If the guy’s heart isn’t with the Democrats, we should welcome him.
If he is a RINO, we should also replace him. If not, I’m glad to have him.
Most likely the start of a trend. The true conservative Democrats in the house jumping ship. I hope when they have his press conference, there is reference to the fact that his party is not diverse enough to accept all kinds of ideas, you know the Arlen Specter speech. I know that the MSM will not cover it like they did ole Snarlin Arlen’s jump..
Watch these party switchers. This could be another Raum Emmanuel crisis ploy. The poser-in-chief’s ratings are plummeting and rats may be abandonning a perceived sinking ship. Myself6, you’re right to ask for a conservative to run against this person in the primaries.
Even Winston Churchill changed parties early in his career. So maybe there is hope.
By their fruits you shall know them.
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