Thread: Officials: House Democrat Will Switch to GOP

Officials: House Democrat Will Switch to GOP

Tuesday, 22 Dec 2009 11:52 AM

Senior House aides say freshman Democratic lawmaker Parker Griffith of Alabama is switching to the Republican Party.

Griffith was narrowly elected last year from a region of northern Alabama that includes Huntsville and Decatur. President Barack Obama lost the district badly to Republican John McCain.

Griffith is a radiation oncologist. His switch comes as Congress is trying to pass a much-contested healthcare bill. Democrats will still control the House by a substantial margin

http://newsmax.com/InsideCover/US-Congr ... /id/344330

Updated December 22, 2009
Freshman Alabama Congressman to Switch Parties to Join GOP
By Chad Pergram
- FOXNews.com

Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, is switching parties to become a Republican, Fox News has confirmed.

Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, is switching parties to become a Republican, Fox News learned Tuesday.

Griffith is expected to make a formal announcement in an afternoon press conference.

Griffith, a retired oncologist and businessman, succeeded former Democratic Rep. Bud Cramer, who retired earlier this year, in a hard-fought contest for the northern Alabama seat.

Republicans thought that district would be hard for Democrats to hold without Cramer on the ballot, but Griffith defeated Republican Wayne Parker by 4 points -- 52-48 percent -- even though Republican presidential nominee John McCain won every county in the district.

Former President George W. Bush won the district by double digits in both of his races.

In Congress, Griffith joined the Blue Dogs, the coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats in the House. He voted against the health care reform bill in November.

Griffith's party switch is the first one in recent memory where any member of either party in the House or Senate has moved from the majority to the minority party. Florida Rep. Andy Ireland was elected to the House in 1980 as a Democrat when that party held control. But in 1984, Ireland switched to join the GOP and thus serve in the minority. He continued to serve until 1993, when he did not seek re-election to the House.

Earlier this year, Sen. Arlen Specter moved from the Republican Party to the majority Democratic Party.

Griffith's thinking may not be a total surprise, however. In August, he told voters at a town hall meeting at the University of North Alabama that if given the chance he would not vote again for Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.

"I would not vote for her. Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together," he said.

Alabama's two U.S. senators, as well as Rep. Robert Aderholt, whose district borders Griffith's, were instrumental in helping Griffith change his mind. Senior Sen. Richard Shelby is himself a former Democrat who switched parties while in office.

Rep. Mike Rogers, another Alabama Republican, called the switch "a great development," and likened it to the party switch by Louisiana Rep. Rodney Alexander, who moved from the Democrats to the GOP about six years ago.

"He just could not stomach what the Democrats are doing any longer," Rogers said of Griffith's move.

Griffith's departure means the Democrats will still hold an advantage of 257 seats to the GOP's 178. But the Democratic majority is expected to shrink by at least two seats again in January. Reps. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., and Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, are expected to resign.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12 ... epublican/

Change side all they want, the leopard is always a leopard. Changing a label does not change a heart.

House Democrat blames Pelosi, leaders for switch

By JOSH KRAUSHAAR | 12/22/09 10:57 AM EST
Updated: 12/22/09 8:36 PM EST
POLITICO 44

Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith announced Tuesday that he's switching parties – saying he can no longer align himself “with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives us further and further into debt.â€