Posted on 08/30/2004 4:24:37 PM PDT by nov7freedomday
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A state appeals court ruled Monday that a longtime Democratic congressman who switched to the Republican Party at the last minute may run as a GOP candidate, and overturned a lower-court decision that ordered the ballot reopened for new candidates.
Rep. Rodney Alexander filed to run for re-election as a Democrat on Aug. 4, then refiled as a Republican two days later, just before the deadline to sign up for the race.
Angry Democrats sued, and a state district judge ruled last week that the qualifying period for the election should be reopened.
But the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal overturned that ruling Monday, saying the lower-court judge overstepped his authority. The appellate judges barred new candidates from joining the race against Alexander and rejected arguments from Alexander's opponents that he should be knocked off the ballot.
The conservative congressman, who spoke to the Republican National Convention Monday, called the ruling "a great victory" and added, "All I wanted to do all along was run as a Republican." Even before his switch, he had sided with President Bush's party more often than not.
The 12-judge panel acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the case. "I'm not sure anyone in the Legislature ever contemplated such a situation," Judge James E. Kuhn said.
There was no immediate word on whether the case would be appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Democrats argued that state law prevented Alexander from changing his party affiliation once he qualified as a Democrat. By filing new papers, they said, he effectively withdrew from the race.
"What Rodney Alexander did was wrong," attorney Victoria Murry told the court Monday. "He violated both the spirit and letter of the Louisiana election code."
But the appeals court expressed skepticism over that argument, and about the case itself, with one judge suggesting it had more to do with politics than the law. Another wondered why Alexander should not appear as both a Republican and a Democrat on the Nov. 2 ballot, and a third asked whether the secretary of state could not simply put him on the ballot with no party affiliation.
Alexander will now face only two underfinanced and lesser-known opponents - former state Rep. Jock Scott, a Republican who was abandoned by the party when Alexander switched, and Zelma Blakes, a homemaker who signed up as a Democrat.
Scott said he was disappointed with the ruling. "I do think it would be a great message to send to all politicians in Louisiana that we won't tolerate playing political games with the election codes," he said.
Alexander won the seat formerly held by Republican John Cooksey by less than a thousand votes in 2002. His defection means Democrats would have to gain another seat, 12 in all, to win back the House this fall.
I live far away in Colorado, don't know the whole story about this last minuite change, but on the face of it, this seems wrong. Plus, we've now got another RINO.
Well another ruling and the beat goes on.....
>>"I do think it would be a great message to send to all politicians in Louisiana that we won't tolerate playing political games with the election codes,"
Are we talking about a different Louisiana? I thought the political ethics in the state follow the Huey Long model.
Even before his switch, he had sided with President Bush's party more often than not.
If that fits your definition of a RINO.
Who cares, as long as it pisses of the Dim-o-rats. I still remember what jumpin' Jim Jeffords.
Jock Scott has run unsuccessfully for Congress before -- some 20 years ago. He has little prospects of garnering support to unseat Alexander. However, Scott is a most impressive man in person -- articulate, committed, but usually outfoxed by his opposition.
I live far away in Colorado, don't know the whole story about this last minuite change, but on the face of it, this seems wrong. Plus, we've now got another RINO
_-----
YOU DON"T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
ALEXANDER IS NO RINO !
Actually, it was said to have been supporters of former Rep. Clyde Holloway, R-LA, who stayed home (mostly in the Alexandria area) and permitted a narrow victory for the then Democrat Rodney Alexander, who had the enthusiastic backing of Sens. Mary Landrieu and John Breaux. Now the popular Landrieu and Breaux are reportedly treating Alexander like he has the plague.
Regardless of which party you're on, or switch to, I consider it defrauding the voters that put you where you're at.
It's dishonorable.
LOL! For once, that's reassuring.
Was Alexander running unopposed?
In the 2002 general election, Alexander very narrowly defeated Republican Lee Fletcher, former aide to retiring Rep. John Cooksey, R-LA.
There is a huge difference here from what Jeffords did. Jeffords ran, then switched. This man switched, then ran. He has both Democrat and Republican opposition in the general election, so the rigths of the voters has not been impaired.
Are you saying that a politician can never honorably change parties?
Are you saying that a politician can never honorably change parties?
From what I can gather: he ran, then switched, then ran. Granted, it's better than being elected and then switching but, in my opinion, it's just varying degrees of dishonesty. It was a calculated decision, done for a political advantage , or it wouldn't have been done at all. You can't tell me he just woke up that morning and said, "Hell! I think I'm actually a Republican!"
Switching parties is fine. Just don't do it while you're serving or running.
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