[SwinneySwitch]

From the caller-Times today:

In Waller County, two veteran Democrats left their party. Sheriff Randy Smith, in office 16 years, and Tax Assessor-Collector Ellen Shelburne, winner of four consecutive terms, were both re-elected as Republicans.

"It's happening everywhere across the state," said Sarah McLallen, the Texas Republican Party spokeswoman in Austin. "We're seen as the party of conservative values now."

From 1992 to 2004, 197 Democrats holding county offices in Texas switched to the Republican Party, she said.

[Texas Mom]

As a prosecutor, I cannot afford to be associated with liberals like Howard Dean (former presidential candidate recently named chairman of the Democratic National Committee). ... I don't like the way the Democrats are going nationally," she said. "I'm no dummy. I can see the wave."

As I see it, this is one of the main reasons Dems are leaving the Democrat Party. Howard Dean is just too far left and they are hearing the death rattle of the Democrat party with him at the helm.