House Dem to switch to Republican Party
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/12/22/art.parker.gi.jpg caption="Griffith is switching to the Republican Party."]Washington (CNN) - Sources confirm to CNN that Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith will announce Tuesday that he's switching parties and will run for re-election next year as a Republican.
The freshman lawmaker represents Alabama's 5th Congressional District. Griffith won his seat 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.
The Republican source was familiar with the decision but didn't want to preempt the announcement later Tuesday. The story was first reported by Politico. A Democratic aide also tells CNN Griffith is holding a staff meeting Tuesday morning to inform his staff of his decision, and will make a formal announcement at 2 p.m. ET.
Griffith was one of 39 Democrats who voted against the party's health care reform bill last month. His is only one of three Democrats to have voted against the health care bill, the stimulus measure, and the cap-and-trade bill.
Griffith pledged in August he would vote against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Speaker next session.
With Griffith's switch of parties, the Democrats will hold a 257-178 advantage in the House of Representatives.
- CNN's Evan Glass and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story
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I think he should flip to being an independent, since even with a conservative voting record, the Ultra Right who control the GOP party may not let them in to thier cuub.
What?!! Like there was even a snowball's chance that he would be reelected as a Dem after that bought-and-paid-for stance he took. You've gotta be kidding me. Surely folks, you don't think this was a moral stance on his part. It's political. First they bought him. Now Reps, he plans to buy you. Hope you won't be for sale...although it does seem to be more popular these days.
Thank God that some Demo's are coming to their senses. I am a life long Demo & very ashamed of my party. I can't envision when I will ever vote Demo again. We need 4 or 5 more like him from the Demo Party to break ranks & go Republican, both Congress & the Senate. I am sure it takes Gut's, but he gave me hope for the future. What were you people thinking when voting for Obama???? God Bless America, we need it NOW......
I'm tired of war mongering, racist, ignorant, thieving, brain washed, Blue Dogs, fake Dems, corporate villain Republicans pretending to be Christians. There's not much about the Republican agenda that is Christian.
When will you republicans realize that your party sold America out to foreign countries. No jobs because corporate America outsourced the jobs to China and Mexico. That was your party...and the Dems had a hand in it too!
You need to stop fighting Dems and Repubs and realize that they are all giving you the shaft. They get away with it because as long as you keep pointing fingers at each other you can't pay attention to how you're being mislead. Both parties have done evil things while they spend your money and tell you lies. Both parties say whatever to get elected. Think about that next time you call a Dem a name or a Repub a name.
One last thing...Dubya was in office 8 years. Roe V Wade was law the whole time. How come they did not abolish that law with control of the house and the senate???? Wake up America and buy American!!
Written by a Dem
Good riddance!
so many socalle democrats and republicans are affiliated only for the winning of elections, let strip him of his health care, let that be the decider of his vote
I say we vote for NO ONE in 2010 and see how Washington reacts to that!
Adios! Glad to see him go. I want strong spines in our Democratic party. Not some glee club wannabe sucking off the teat of any lobbyist he can find. Some day Texas will be blue again with Will Rogers style Democrats I hope. And I hope and pray they don't allow the current Republicans to just switch parties to stay in office. These guys have been the dumbest bunch of crooks yet. I can handle crooked and competent or honest but stupid, but crooked AND stupid? Gimme my state back ya'll.
That's okay......he's got those squinty shifty lyin' Rethuglican eyes.
The Republicans need ANOTHER Flip-flopper!!
One wonders when Rush et.al are going to condemn him as a tratior and call for his resignation.
Who the heck IS Parker Griffith anyway?!?!?
NEVER HEARD OF HIM.
It is only a matter of time and more democrats will chang probably to independents if not republics.
Last November he didn’t want to run under Obama’s banner
Let him go
50 % of small business can’t offer medical insurance 75% of small business think providing health insurance is to expensive by 2010 many people will realize this health care bill is right
He votes like a Republican, so I can see why he wants to switch partis. Makes perfect sense.
We need a balanced government. One that is not dominated in total by a single party. One that represents a diversity of voters, both conservative and liberal, big business and individual worker. The government we have now and the one before is not balanced. Overall, I would prefer a mixed Congress, maybe a more liberal Senate paired with a more conservative House and a moderate President. If you think that is a tall order then you are either too old or too young to remember the years of Reagan or Clinton. These too presidents were successful forming a unified government with a diverse mix, whay can't the last too bozos?
This is why we need to get rid of the majority of our Reps, and Senators. They are only in it to keep a job! Spector and this guy are perfect examples! Self 1st, party 2nd, Americans last!
Which goes to show you that to the politician himself it makes no difference what party he belongs to given they are both the same and it just depends on which way a wind blows in their district.
A bunch of crap.....Politicians Changing parties after being elected to office. That would be like the President changing Parties after the election! Our Government is so broken....
Smart move for the Congressman...abandon your principles to get re-elected. It's obvious after betraying his party and his constituents that the DNC was not going to give him much, if any, support in re-election. Switching parties was the only chance Benedict had of getting re-elected.
As out of touch with America as he is, he SHOULD be with the Republicans.
MY DISTRICT – MY VOTE – MY BELIEF in the democratic platform got you that seat sir. I did not know you were ready to flip on Cramer's support nor any of the democrats that got you into office. Make that bed and lie in it, but what you did will not be forgotten here in Huntsville and Madison, AL. You want to send that check back now?
Oh, the Dems. must be absolutely devasted? Who the h*** is this guy anyway.
Parker was a scumbag when he was a doctor here in Huntsville. He was voted in only because of Bush and his crap. Looks like Parker is continuing his crap. This little stunt is not going to help him be reelected which is great.
He was always a Republican.
The south needs more of the party of sewage . He'll fit right in. We should have put up a wall after civil war anyway