Posted on 06/04/2005 4:30:51 AM PDT by WKB
JACKSON, Miss. - Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell has switched to the Republican Party after nine years in office as a Democrat, saying his work within his department is more in line with the principals of the GOP.
Spell announced his decision late Friday in a written release.
"I think over the years I have made a lot of changes in my department...increased efficiency and downsizing government," Spell said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "This is very much in line with the principals of the Republican Party."
Spell, a former mayor of Richland, said the switch to the GOP has been an "evolution."
"I had people tell me that 'you run your department like a business.' I've been hearing that a lot," said Spell, who met with Gov. Haley Barbour and Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, both Republicans, before announcing the move. Spell said the Department of Agriculture and Commerce has "a third fewer people than we had in 1996."
"Today, we are much more efficient in serving and promoting our state's agricultural industry, we are more business friendly in our regulatory responsibilities and we have intensified consumer protection in areas such as food safety," the commissioner said in the release.
In 1995, Spell was elected as the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce and was re-elected for a second term in 1999.
In 2003, he was re-elected again and is now serving his third term in office.
Mississippi ping
Thanks for the good news post. The Democratic Crime Syndicate should be voted into extinction.
Any sane Democrat can see that their party is shifting too far to the left. Glad he faced the truth, and switched.
Will the last white Southern Democrat please turn out the light?
Any sane Democrat
But these are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard to find!!!
But but but but how could that be? how-wierd just said the rats were making progress in Mississippi.
Yes, but it was only with the guys with pickup trucks and rebel flags. LOL.
It's easy to understand why so many have switched parties, since the Democrats realize that switching to the GOP doesn't mean that they would have to give up their big government, big spending, pork-barrel ways.
I'd be much more impressed with Commissioner Spell's evolution had it occurred prior to his 2003 reelection campaign.
It would have been far more intellectually honest for him to have sought the GOP nomination for the post. Instead, he defeated the Republican nominee (likely someone who had worked for the party for years), and then decided to read the handwriting on the wall. Thus, yet again, a lifelong Dem elbows his way to the front of the GOP, while those who have served the party for years get left out.
Pardon my lack of enthusiasm for the convenient evolution.
Bi*ch-Bi*ch-Bi*ch
Hold it! Hold on jest a minute.
Wasn't Spell one of the Movers, Shakers & Playmakers in the world famous Cow Killing Plant deal? I shore do reccommember hearing his name along with Steve Holland, Billy McCoy and one or two others.
Inquiring minds want to know.
Yes but he "saw the light" or the "hand writing on the wall"
Ughhh...another wannabe RINO??
YOU ARE SO RIGHT AND HALEY JUST PAID THAT DEAL OFF. PAID COMMINUTY BANK A LARGE SUN. THE DEAL WAS SIGNED SEALED AND DILVERED BY FORMER GOV. MUSGROVE & (MISSISSIPPI)CONGRESS. AND YES LESTER SPELLS HAD A HAND IN TOO. IT COST TAX PAYER OF MISSISSIPPI A BOUNDLE OF MOENY FOR FAILED BEEF PLANT. I FOR ONE THINK THE DEMOCRATS NEED TO KEEP HIM, I SMELL A RAT HERE.
I guess it takes some longer than
others to figure things out.
Lester Spell used to be my family vet, and he is also a former mayor of Richland, MS. He's a good guy.
VVD--do you know him?
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