BREAKING: State Senator Jim Preuitt Switches to the GOP (Alabama)

The World Around You ^ | 4/2/10 | TWAY Kris

[LdSentinal]

I noticed an hour ago that State Senator Jim Preuitt had not yet qualified with the state Democratic Party. I got the answer as to why just a moment ago when the GOP confirmed and posted to their website the qualification of Senator Preuitt as a Republican. This is another big pick-up for the Alabama Republican Party and inches them that much closer to a majority. The split is now 20-15 in favor of the Democrats with a number of what look to be competitive races in November.

[LdSentinal]

Since one other Dem state senator (Tom Butler) routinely caucuses with the GOP, the Dems have a 19-16 margin in the Alabama state senate.

[saganite]

I can’t believe the Dems are even in control in Alabama.

[Clintonfatigued]

This is a great development.

Political historians may remember that Pruitt ran for Congress in a special election back in 1989, losing the ‘Rat primary to a more liberal candidate.

[ironwill]

Don’t know much about him. Was he a Blue Dog Dem or is he just adding another RINO to the GOP?

[K-oneTexas]

For an Alabama voter:

Were these two representatives elected because they were Dems or because of themselves?

Will the party change mean they will not be reelected?

[pillut48]

I wonder how many dems will read the writing on the wall and switch to the GOP or go Independent?

[Frantzie]

Good news. Any man with any honor could not be a Democrat. But honor is in short supply. I even see a few people here fawning over slime Tiger Woods.

[max americana]

Honor and principles in the GOP are at a minimum, that’s why the Tea Party was started in the 1st place. And no, I dont want Tiger to win..it wouldn’t surprise me that he wins, but I prefer Phil Mickelson to bag it at Augusta.

[whatisthetruth]

Probably a Rino, gotta be careful with Dems who suddenly change over to the GOP, don’t need any more Rinos in the Party.

[Viking2002]

I live in the 38th District, and had to Google this character to find anything out about him. I think I might know one reason why he switched: he owns GM and Chrysler dealerships in Talladega. Since The Won came to power, he's probably tired of watching his constituents patronize Buford's Used Car Emporium and Freshwater Tackle Shop across the street.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Mmmmmhmmmmm. ‘Parker Griffith’ comes to mind.

[TruthHound]

Aaaaa, ‘Bama. Where the men are men and the sheep are nervous.

I wouldn’t trust this hillbilly any further than you can throw a goat.

[Bahbah]

I have wondered whether he could destroy the dem party. He just might.

[Victoria Delsoul]

I'm concerned with Democrats changing their affiliation to Republican in view of their imminent defeat come November. The question is, will the GOP get more of the same moderates who usually align with the Democrats time and time again?

I don't believe that Democrats are true conservative, otherwise they wouldn't be aligned with other Democrats in an earlier political time.

[randita]

Never look a gift horse in the mouth. If enough Democrats switched to GOP in the U.S. Congress, Pelosi wouldn’t be Speaker. That would be a blessing.

[Jet Jaguar]

Agreed.

[TheOldSchool]

There is no longer room for a conservative Democrat to survive in politics on the national stage. A bit of history that spans over 150 years is called for. After the Civil war and the reformation, the Republicans, the party of Abraham Lincoln, appointed politicians in the south not based on any criteria other than “install our will from Washington”. By the way, Lincoln was the first Republican to be elected as President. In Alabama, and the south in general, it evolved from the “Dixiecrats” (conservative democrats after the turn of the century and after the reformation, ie, we HATE those Republicans), the contra Washington establishment to the Yellow Dog Democrats (Conservative democrats that if it rained to much in Alabama, it was those damn Republicans from the north) to the Blue Dog Democrats (the liberals squeezed us so hard we turned blue) to the point that the Obama Administration, which ran as a centrist candidate, went so far left, so fast it left Conservative Democrats in the south with no room to operate or exist. The Democratic party in the south should now change their name to the “Flat-line” democrat party....DEAD. The election in November will be a quantum shift and realignment of party affiliations in the south. Several politicians have seen the future, Parker Griffith comes to mind as the poster child for it is ok to change from a (D) to a (R),

[Victoria Delsoul]

That’s true, but the problem is bigger than the Speaker.  If they reliably vote with their liberals on substantive votes, they aren’t much good to conservatives.

[LdSentinal]

He’s a true Blue Dog, not the so-called Blue Dogs in Washington DC.

[Maine Mariner]

In the deep South, the Democrats in the state legislature and positions in local offices are fairly conservative.
There may be more such switches in the next few months.