Mississippi PSC member Callahan confirms his switch to Republican Party

Sun Herald.com ^ | Posted on Mon, Apr. 12, 2004 | EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS

[WKB]

JACKSON, Miss. - Southern District Public Service Commissioner Michael Callahan told The Associated Press on Monday that he's becoming a Republican because he no longer feels comfortable as a Democrat.

"Over the past couple of years, it's just something that has been brewing. I think there's a lot of Democratic politicians out there that are like me," Callahan, 36, said.

"The Democratic Party here in Mississippi is moving more to the left and it's becoming tougher and tougher for conservative politicians like myself to find a place in the party," he said.

Mississippi Republican Party chairman Jim Herring of Canton planned to announce Callahan's party switch later Monday at the state Capitol.

State Democratic Party chairman Rickey Cole of Ovett called Callahan's party switch "Amy Tuck-style rank opportunism." Tuck, the lieutenant governor, was elected a Democrat in 1999 and became a Republican in December 2002. She won a second term in November.

"Michael has to my knowledge never attended a Democratic Party meeting or function and expressed any concern," Cole said in a phone interview. "He's never once communicated with me or any other leader of the state party. But he was quite comfortable telling the voters of the Southern District six months ago that he was a Democrat. Now, for 44 months of his term, he will have perpetuated a fraud on thousands of voters who voted for what they thought was a Democrat but who will be in office for 44 months as a Republican."

Three statewide elected Republican officials - Gov. Haley Barbour, Tuck, state Auditor Phil Bryant - are to attend the announcement.

Callahan was first elected to the PSC in 1999 and won a second term last fall. He and his family live in Hattiesburg.

[WKB]

And another one bites the dust MS ping

[Tax Government]

Congrats and welcome.

[Cedar]

Wish all the fine Southern conservative Democrats in U.S. Congress would do this. Wonder what's stopping them?

[onyx]

Well, he managed to p*ss-off
the democrat chairman,
so that's a great start.

[WKB]

Well, he managed to p*ss-off the democrat chairman,
so that's a great start.



Cole is starting to get used to feeling that way.
When Haley won in Nov. Cole said
"The people of MS of a made a mistake a huge mistake."
Not "the people have spoken" mind you but like all good
dims who know better than we do what we need "we had made a mistake."
To h**l with Rickey Cole.

[onyx]

So, he's not a fan of Haley's either.
You know which list of mine that puts him on.
Near the top too.

[MagnoliaMS]

Good to hear this. Hopefully, there will be more.

[WKB]

Good to hear this. Hopefully, there will be more.

There can't be TOO many!!