Freshman Dem Congressman Joins Gop

KRAM1 · December 22, 2009

This just may be a sign of things to come. Today, democratic freshman Congressman, Parker Griffith, announced that he is switching party affiliation and joining the Republican Party immediately. He is quoted as saying, "Our nation is at a crossroads, and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives it further and further into debt".

WOW...pretty bold move for a freshman congressman from Alabama. Perhaps he senses the "handwriting on the wall". I am wondering if this move will give "cover" to others who are considering the same action? If I were in the current administration, I would take careful note of this and think about what this may well be saying about the mood of the nation's voting public. Wow...I see this as a great early Christmas present to the GOP.

Wow.....is this the first of many?

Now we can have the "usual suspects" here do the "quitter" routine, but it is an important move and something all should carefully note.

UNT90 · December 22, 2009

He was pretty much a conservative anyway, so this really isnt any major news. Vote against stimulus (Pres. Obama style), Health Care, and a couple of other bills championed by Pres. Obama. But, it is one less seat toward a majority.

BeanCounterGrad'03 · December 22, 2009

From one "usual suspect" to another:

I know you're pretty excited by this as indicated by the 3 wow's you posted, but he hasn't voted with the Democrats for so long, he was already a DINO. Let him become a Republican. His voting record won't change. (EDIT: sorry...UNT90 beat me to the punch in making this point)

Apparently there are other conservatives not impressed by this at all...they see it as him pulling a "Specter": (pulled from CNN.com)

Griffith won his seat in Alabama's 5th congressional district last year by 3 points over Republican Wayne Parker. But the district went for Republican John McCain over Barack Obama by 23 points in the presidential election.

Griffith's decision won't necessarily protect him from a GOP challenge in his conservative district. Shortly after news of the congressman's decision broke, conservative activists called for a primary challenger to take on the newly-minted Republican.

"Griffith was an extremely endangered Democrat," wrote RedState's Erick Erickson. "We should now hope him be an extremely endangered Republican in a primary. We will not fix the GOP's problems if we keep allowing people who are not one of us to suddenly switch the letter next to their name and magically become one of us."

Edited December 22, 2009 by BeanCounterGrad'03

TheTastyGreek · December 22, 2009

To borrow a phrase from earlier in the year:

"This is about saving his own political hide, and not so much about philosophy. Take a hike, Parker!"

UNT90 · December 23, 2009

"Griffith was an extremely endangered Democrat," wrote RedState's Erick Erickson. "We should now hope him be an extremely endangered Republican in a primary. We will not fix the GOP's problems if we keep allowing people who are not one of us to suddenly switch the letter next to their name and magically become one of us."

Completely agree with this. The only way republican party can over come last election's nightmare is to return to it's conservative roots. After the McCain disaster, I doubt you will see party support for guys like this.

If you doubt me, look around the next time you are driving in Fort Worth and compare how many Obama stickers you see on cars vs. McCain stickers. Many more Obama stickers, and this in a county and state that was solidly McCain. When you don't excite your base, you usually don't excite anyone outside of that base, either.

KingDL1 · December 23, 2009

Completely agree with this. The only way republican party can over come last election's nightmare is to return to it's conservative roots. After the McCain disaster, I doubt you will see party support for guys like this.
If you doubt me, look around the next time you are driving in Fort Worth and compare how many Obama stickers you see on cars vs. McCain stickers. Many more Obama stickers, and this in a county and state that was solidly McCain. When you don't excite your base, you usually don't excite anyone outside of that base, either.

Do you put political bumper stickers on your car? I don't know many conservatives that do, though many of the liberals I know do. Maybe a difference in mind sets.

BeanCounterGrad'03 · December 23, 2009

Do you put political bumper stickers on your car? I don't know many conservatives that do, though many of the liberals I know do. Maybe a difference in mind sets.

I remember in the '04 election when I was still living in L'ville that I saw alot of W stickers and hardly any Kerry stickers. In that election, however, I think Bush did a good job of energizing the voters while Kerry did not.

UNT90 · December 23, 2009

Do you put political bumper stickers on your car? I don't know many conservatives that do, though many of the liberals I know do. Maybe a difference in mind sets.

I had both Bush bumper stickers (00 and 04), but never even considered putting a McCain sticker on my car.

And I removed them shortly after the election. Policital scoreboarding is so... juvenile?

I think I recall seeing one or two Gore or Kerry stickers during those elections. I couldn't go 2 city blocks without seeing a Bush sticker. As a matter of fact, I still see more Bush stickers than I do McCain stickers.

Edited December 23, 2009 by UNT90