Early Christmas gift: Alabama Democrat announces switch to GOP Updated; Sen. Sessions reacts
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Every vote counts. And this is a good one (or is he? see updates below).
Politico reports that Alabama Democrat Rep. Parker Griffith will switch parties today. He’s a defender of grass-roots activists who protested at town halls over the summer and a cancer doctor who passionately opposes a government health care takeover. Bring it on:
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.
Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.
The switch represents a coup for House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls over the summer.
Griffith, who captured the seat in a close 2008 open seat contest, will become the first Republican to hold the historically Democratic, Huntsville-based district. 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.
Rep. Griffith had signaled in August that he would not vote for Nancy Pelosi as speaker again.
Refreshing: A politician who will keep his promise.
The announcement comes on the heels of a wave of Blue Dog Democrat retirements.
Merry Christmas!
***
Griffith’s GOP opponent attacked his medical record, but his bio looks most impressive.
He voted against the porkulus, cap and trade, and Demcare in the House.
But reader Rebecca e-mails with some on-the-ground insights from Alabama:
Michelle,
Parker Griffith DOES NOT passionately oppose government health care takeover. He voted for SCHIP, and you should have seen his campaign commercials – every one of them spoke of health care for all! He only changed his tune once the backlash for his vote for Pelosi as Speaker and the huge turn in local public opinion against government health care set in. You should have seen us at the April 15th Tea Party in Huntsville.
I live in Huntsville. I voted for Wayne Parker, a conservative Republican. I was sad to see that a Republican has never been elected to represent our congressional district. Griffith changing his party does not necessarily mean that it is a win for conservatives. He is a chameleon and afraid of losing his seat in ’10 to true conservatives. Give Mo Brooks or Les Philip a ring – two leading conservatives who will challenge him in the next election.
I agree this is a blow to the Democrats, but whether or not it will be a true win for conservatives remains to be seen. We deserve someone who is solidly conservative (not just when to polls tell them to be) – and honest!
Your humble admirer and loyal reader,
Rebecca H.
Alabama blogger Steve Boyett adds:
Greetings:
Making headlines across the valley is that Parker Griffith is changing parties. This is really not much of a surprise at all, because his internal polling was most likely telling him that he could not win as a democrat. So, the wolf in sheep’s clothing comes to mind. What I find more interesting will be how the RNCC will respond to this. Will they, in hopes of having an “R” on the roll, sell their principles and accept him, or will they recognize this strategy as one from a desperate moderate who is not good for our district.
Parker Griffith to hold press conference at 1 – but the real story will be the response of the established true conservative Les Phillip and the other republican candidate Mo Brooks.
Keep watching.
Steve Boyett
Here’s Les Phillip’s campaign site. And his first ad:
From Phillip’s bio:
Les Phillip was born May 29, 1963, to Randolph and Elvina Phillip in the tiny Caribbean country of Trinidad – Tobago. The Family moved to St. Croix before immigrating to the United States.
After the plane ride from Trinidad to St. Croix, young Les was given a glimpse into his future. While traveling, he told his mother that he wanted to be a pilot. His mother accommodated her son’s aspiration by requesting that the pilot of their aircraft meet Les and explain to him what it would take to become a pilot someday. The pilot told Les to excel in math and science and fly in one of the branches of the U.S. military.
In 1971, the Phillip family came to the United States and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. Les graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a public school, in the spring of 1981. That summer, he would pursue his childhood dream and enter the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. There, he met his wife, the former Merle Ford of Montclair, New Jersey. At the age of 26, Les achieved his goal and earned his Naval Aviator wings.
Over the next eight years, Les became the proud father of three wonderful daughters. He left the service in 1993 and pursued a career in the private sector. He and his wife currently own a business located in Madison, Alabama.
Les Phillip became involved in politics in 1984, just six years after becoming a naturalized citizen. While in the Naval Academy, he began developing his political identity, studying a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution that he received via a Phillip Morris advertising campaign. He soon realized how far the government had moved away from the design laid out by the founding fathers of our country.
After becoming a parent and working in the private sector Les became concerned with the daily struggles of middle-class America. He came to the realization that life is not just about where you are going but what you leave behind to your children and grandchildren.The simple idea that his children might not enjoy the same America that he and his parents longed for in 1971 is what inspired Les to become a public servant.
Les came to this country with a dream, an American dream. He fulfilled his dream of becoming a Naval Aviator, serving our country proudly, marrying his college sweetheart, raising three beautiful daughters and even operating a successful business. His story is an American success story, one of the stories that so often go untold. He knows first-hand how great this country is and how much greater it can be. He believes that we need a leader, a voice that can rally others to join his cause.
And here is Alabama Republican Liberty Caucus Stephen Gordon’s welcome for Rep. Griffith:
From my perspective, this clearly shows there is blowback from the Democrat’s legislative overreach in DC. Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama are now having to pay a political price for shoving their agenda down our throats.
However, what seems to be a GOP victory at first may well become another liberal victory in the long term. Unless Parker Griffith starts voting like a true fiscal conservative, Alabama could be stuck with another entrenched big-government Republican congressman.
Welcome to the party, Parker. Here’s an electronic copy of the Constitution. Read it well, as you will have to continue to dodge us if you continue to disregard it.
***
Staunch GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions responds:
The following is a statement from U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions on Rep. Parker Griffith’s decision to switch to the Republican Party :
“I spoke with Parker this morning and congratulated him on this important decision. I believe his voting record and public statements on many important issues demonstrate an approach to government and spending that is incompatible with the national Democratic Party. As a Republican, he will be affirmed in his concerns about reckless spending and governmental overreach, rather than being ostracized for them. We welcome him with open arms.”
And Sarah Palin sends a welcome on Twitter.
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RSS: Youth, LOTS and LOTS of youth that will hopefully use the lessons learned to improve next season.
Go Hawgs, Beat the Dawgs! And all the other SEC mascots!
BTW, seen “Blindside?” Houston Nutt says, “There are lots of lions and tigers and bears, but there is only ONE Razorback!” Soooie!
My apologies for the hijacking, we now return you to your regular postings…
Not yet. The Nutt plays himself? As the Razorbacks coach? Woulda thought he’d play Oher’s coach at Ole Miss. Or is that later in the movie.
Tangentially related, but it’s too bad PC police cracked down on “Dixie” because it is a beautiful, beautiful song.
RSS: Yes, Nutt plays himself as do Fulmer, Tubberville, Saban (at LSU), Holtz (Lou at USC, not Skip at ECU) as they each tried to recruit him. In the post film credits there is a photo of Nutt as the Rebel’s coach and Michael Oher as a Rebel player.
You should enjoy the movie, Huckabee interviewed the Tuohy family on his program this last weekend.
One can hope that this party switch encourages other reps in the same boat to consider doing the same and essentially accelerate the 2010 midterm election reduction of the Dem majority.
I’ve had CSPAN 2 on for the last couple of hours, and it is a thing to behold. The GOP senators are on a tear…including McLame. They are truly outraged, and, as we all know, they generally are the last to get really passionate. We’ve really hardly had time to get any feel for the reaction from the general public, but I think it is going to be a tsunami of anger, enough to shake loose one of those 60 Dems. If the political fear doesn’t do it, maybe somebody like Lieberman will step forward and say that he is so repulsed by the corruption that he can not be part of it, even though he very much wants a bill.
What about Zell Miller?
Welcome Parker Griffith now, but make him fight a primary battle for the Republican Party nomination for the 2010 elections.
That U.S. House seat would have gone to a conservative Republican for the first time (“Historic!”, “Unprecedented!”) next November, so to give it to a “moderate” without a fight would in fact be a loss.
Again, welcome him, and the statement this switch makes, for now, but it’s better to replace him with a true conservative next November.
Ben Nelson shows up on the Senate floor to “explain” the Nebraska deal. Utterly absurd…morally and intellectually incoherent. A historic statement that shows just what kind of political hacks can sometimes get elected to the Senate. I’ve seem more evil senators…plenty of them. But I have never seen such a fool standing so naked and haplessly flapping his lips in the wind.
I love Zell Miller. There used to be a time when freedom-loving, Constitution-supporting, Bible-believing Christians could also be Democrats. Not anymore, as today’s Democat[ic Socialist] Party has become the party of Slavery (to the state) and Death.
Have you read Zell Miller’s book
And don’t forget Lawrence Patton McDonald, the conservative Democrat who was the only Congressional victim of the Cold War (shot down on Korean Airlines KAL007 by the Russians).
“Trust but verify.”
You realize that Zell was an aide to our late segregationist governor Lestor Maddox, right?
Before the 2010 elections there will be a bunch of democrats switching parties, in hope they can fool the electorate. If the Teaparty gets into the race the republicans will try to switch for the same reason. This is without a doubt the most corrupt government we have ever seen. They all have to go!
Red State Skeptic,
So, what’s your point?
Why don’t you point to Zell’s own words and actions, instead of resorting to guilt by association?
If you want to talk racism, how about the racism of those who support Obama not because he shares their party label (72% approval among Democrats) or ideology (77% approval among liberals), but because he shares their skin color (98% approval among “African-Americans”).
(Source: Rasmussen)
So,
Obama is not the fulfillment of MLK Jr.’s dream.
Obama and his supporters are the ANTITHESIS of MLK Jr.’s dream.
He acted as chief of staff for a man who sought to continue the South’s Jim Crow policies. It’s not like Maddox just hosted a meet-and-greet at his apartment for Zell. This was Zell’s work.
I just find it amusing that Zell says the Democratic Party is a “national party no more” when the Democratic Party in his day (in the south) meant following the lead of George Wallace. Is that what it takes for the Democratic Party to return to its roots, Zell?
and yes, it is disheartening that blacks seem to overwhelmingly approve as lackluster a president as our current one.
A whore will still have principles.The entire Senate and House are so sleazy now they will sell themselves and think nothing of it.It’s not what is good for the country,it’s what’s in it for them.
I hope Griffith isn’t a Trojan Horse, but am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. His chance to show his true colors will be coming very soon.
Re: the Palin tweet, all I can say is what I would say to McConnell, DeMint, and the rest of the Republican wimps in the senate who are now talking big and bad: Horse: stolen. Barn door: now locked.
check this one out….Conservative attorney sues over WH health care meetings..
http://www.lifenews.com/nat5808.html
Hey, I’ve got an idea Red State Skeptic,
why don’t we favor policies that benefit ALL Americans, not just certain races?
I mean, how do you cure racism by resorting to racism? hmmm?
See, I see it differently. Looks like your party still wants to keep the black folks enslaved on Uncle Sam’s plantation, and is quite happy to use white guilt and social programs to buy votes from adults who are, in actuality, perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.
Go look at the demographics of the typical black family before you guys started buying…I mean, helping them, and look at it now.
Socialism is pure evil, and it destroys entire cultures. Too bad you’re too busy patting yourself on the back for your enlightened ways to actually notice that the the net effects of your programs have bankrupted us all in more ways than one.
It might take a Griffith, willing to buck the system, to show the GOP how to stay in a fight and fight, regardless of personal humility. Hope they learn something from this.
Add to that – destroyed black families and promoting abortion of the same.
Everything Democrats touch turns to $h!t.
Explained and addressed exceptionally well in the following book:
Let me get this straight. A presumably well-educated medical doctor has run for office as a Democrat and has now decided to be a Republican.
That’s fine, but don’t expect any campaign contributions from me.
Over at HotAir, Allahpundit says:
Allahpundit doesn’t get it. This House seat has zero chance of being won by a Democrat in 2010. I doubt that Alabama voters will vote for ANY Democrat at the federal level after what they’ve seen from Obama, Reid, and Pelosi in 2009.
The real battle for this seat won’t be the general election. The real battle will be the Republican primary.
If Parker Griffith had not switched parties, he would have lost to a true conservative.
If the GOP gives Parker Griffith the GOP nomination without a fight, like they did with Scozzafava, the GOP will be the third party, just like they were in NY-23.
We want true conservatives to win every open seat. Welcome Parker Griffith now, but he doesn’t get to play “incumbent” without a primary fight. If he wins that fight, great. But we’re not going to let him take that spot away from a true conservative without a fight.
And again, Allahpundit doesn’t get it. A primary fight won’t “weaken” the winner of that fight. The only thing that will “weaken” us is if we allow a former Democrat to take a seat away from a conservative without a fight.
What would you do if faced with the prospects of returning to your chosen profession that will soon be reduced to bedpan maintenance?
Even a rat knows when to jump ship.
You have no way to know that without knowing the voter makeup of that particular district. With all of the gerrymandering, all of the most rabid Obama supporters in the state could be in that one district.
That a Republican hasn’t won there since Reconstruction would seem to indicate that may be the case.
Roland,
Given how the Obama “passion index” is now more than 50 points lower than it was when Obama took office (from +30 then to -21 now), there is no way a Democrat has any chance of winning that district in November 2010. If they could have a “do-over” of the November 2008 elections, they probably would go to Republican by 80 percent.
I foresee a Reaganesque landslide for 2010.
I have to say…that is a bit rich coming from you, RedPill.
Hi guys! Are we bashing on IITRP today? Can I join in?
Can’t say I completely dislike Zell, but he does get a bit out of control on occasion.
Who are Republicans possibly going to put up for a run for President in 2012 though?
(First person to say Palin prepared to be ridiculed
)
It is too early to tell what the GOP can or will do in 2012. The next couple of years may change the country, politics, and more importantly Citizen “Expectations”. I fear for our Nation, it is under attack as never before.
Okay, Zero, I don’t recall seeing your anti-Palin rant before, so let’s say I think Palin can win by 60 to 40 in 2012 …….
Oh, right, the way things are going so far, if they keep up this way, the Republicans could beat Obama 60/40 with Rand Paul as their candidate.
Point taken.
Roland:
Palin is everything that’s wrong with the Republican party currently. She’s a populist and just like Obama figured out with respect to other topics, once you get into office you aren’t going to be able to follow through with some of the things that got you elected.
She’s an anti-intellectual, something else I despise. I never understood what’s so great about pretending you are just an “everyman.” I don’t want an “everyman” in office. I want an experienced, educated, statesman and leader.
Furthermore, she’s clearly pretty anti-science, her “fruit-fly” comments solidified that for me.
Another thing that I abhor about her is the way she’s behaved since the election. Leaving her governship and then going to write a book that seems to ammount to just taking pod shots back at the people that attacked her. No doubt she caught a great deal of flack, but if you can’t take the heat…
Finally, it’s pretty darn clear that the only reason she got to center stage was because she was a woman and it was kind of an answer to Hillary. It was identity politics. You can’t tell me that there was not a male candidate out there that was more qualified.
I used to feel the same way, back when I was young.
Since then the intellectuals of our world have done a fine job of destroying any respect that should naturally accrue to the concept.
Tell me someone has a college education, and I’ll figure he’s smarter and more knowledgeable than average. Tell me his degree is from an Ivy League school, and I’ll figure he’s even smarter, but he’s likely a bit clueless.
Tell me he has a graduate degree from an Ivy League school, and I’ll figure he’s very bright and well ‘educated’ and doesn’t have a clue at all about what really makes the world work.
Tell me he’s a professor at an Ivy League school, and I’ll figure he has a lot more “intellectually” in common with Bill Ayers and Noam Chomsky than he has with James Madison.
These are all just reasonable generalizations, of course, and I look to the individual to make serious judgments, but when lacking knowledge about the particular individual, my “anti-intellectual” view generally gives me a good “heads up” as to what I’m going to discover about them.
Roland:
When I use the word “intellectual” I don’t limit it to academics. The problem I have with Palin is that she is clearly a populist and “dumbs-it-down” to garner votes (the fruit-fly thing, again, perfect example).
Just because I don’t want an “everyman” doesn’t mean I want Noam Chomsky.
By attacking someone for being “anti-intellectual” you are supporting the Noam Chomsky’s of the world, whether or not that is what you mean to be doing.
You seem to regard her as anti-science. Then call it that, although I suspect you realize that isn’t really true. She just doesn’t have as much respect as you have for modern research “science.”
You can thank your friends on the left for the deep suspicions so many of us now have about the intellectual integrity of the scientific community.
BTW, worrying about the anti-intellectual bent of Palin when the world is on the brink of savaging itself on the altar of the cult of climate change seems a bit whacky.
Priorities, man!
Roland:
Oh for goodness sake, why do we always end up with semantics?! How do you want me to reword it?
Did you see her stupid “fruit-fly” comments? How would you classify that?
How would you classify her populism? How should I term my rejection of the “everyman” political ploy?
…yes, outrageous of me to ask for a qualifed candidate that didn’t get where they were from identity politics and can handle criticism without quitting her job and writing a book about it.
Are you seriously telling me the Republican Party can’t do any better? PLEASE!
Perhaps. But right now I don’t see anyone I trust more than her to rip the corrupt guts out of wahdeecee and give us a chance to return to the rule of law. The real law, not the one collectivist activists can get intellectually corrupt, ideology driven judges to agree to.
Roland:
BTW, thought you might like to see this:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/12/17/thumbs-down-nebraska-pro-life-group-responds-to-demcare-abortion-compromise/comment-page-4/#comment-860925
I already responded to his stupidity.
Roland:
We will have to disagree on this.
I hadn’t seen it. Thank you for pointing it out. I like your reply to it.
BTW, Zero, have a Merry Christmas!
Please…does the RNCC have any principals left to sell?