Party of convenience for election. This kinda $#!t goes on all the time here. Spend whole life as a RAT judge, get primaried out, switch parties and run for Congress with the R. (Spike Maynard 2010). Republican, switch to RAT for business reasons, run for Gov. as RAT, win and switch back to Rep. (Jim Justice, Gov.)
Mountain politics is brutal
Party is well nigh meaningless in DC and vicinity. UniParty standing is what matters.