Posted on 05/30/2006 3:24:07 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TOPEKA, Kan. - The former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party jumped ship in a big way Tuesday, switching his affiliation to Democrat amid speculation that he would become Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' running mate.
Johnson County Elections Commissioner Brian Newby confirmed that Mark Parkinson, the state GOP chairman from 1999 to 2003, came to the office and switched his party affiliation shortly before noon.
Parkinson's name has been widely circulated as Sebelius' choice for a running mate as the Democratic governor seeks a second term. Current Lt. Gov. John Moore — another former Republican — is retiring when his term expires in early 2007.
Sebelius spokeswoman, Nicole Corcoran, would not comment about Parkinson, but said an announcement of the governor's choice of running mates was scheduled Wednesday not far from Parkinson's home in Olathe, a Kansas City suburb.
"Traditionally, you do see that the first stop would be in or around that person's home base. It would be safe to assume that she would be choosing someone from the Johnson County area," Corcoran said.
Parkinson didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.
Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison also switched parties from Republican to Democrat to challenge Attorney General Phill Kline, a Republican, in the November election.
Republican House Speaker Doug Mays said he was disgusted by Parkinson's lack of loyalty to the party that made him chairman, but he isn't surprised by the rift.
The Republican Party, which has dominated Kansas politics since statehood, has shifted to the right in recent years and it inevitably will shift back to the left, he said. Instead of defecting to challenge one another, though, Republicans need to find common ground, he said.
One confused politician.
I don't know anything about this guy. Is he really switching now or is he just now announcing it? I know that there are a lot of "Republican" officeholders who act like Democrats when they have the chance.
At least he doesn't pretend to be a Republican like Arlen or McPain. You gotta give him credit for that.
No wonder they have a Democrat Governor in a convervative state with GOP leaders like that!
A new meaning for the word "Parkinsons Disease".
(My great grandfather had the real parkinsons disease so lets not get any panties in a twist)
... or honest. More so than Arnold Schwarzenegger anyway.
Good.
At least a Liberal finally went to the Party he belongs to, rather then continue to pollute the Republican Party. Ask him to convince McCain to jump ship too.
Definite RINO in that case! Sen Sam Brownback voting for the Senate immigration bill is another one.
Opportunist.
You know, Kansas has gotten really weird lately.
I think both parties have a lot of folks in their organizational ranks that put policy as a distant second to personal ambition and are only there to see what sort of power they can attain. A political opportunist, plan and simple.
Bubba's political mentor Carroll Quigley, had said that his ideas & that of the CFR group want these 2 political parties to mesh together so each election ends up to be the same & this great nation becomes theirs to rule. That's why I won't give in to the RINOs.
IMO this guy is wrong.
If they are nutty enough to jump to the SocialistLeftistMarxistDemoLyingLib Party...then tell them good-bye, and good riddance.
I don't know about this guy specifically, but I assume he's been one of the RINOs subverting the party from within.
True that.
"Power attracts the corruptible." - paraphrase of Leto II
He could have taken half the GOP with him and they really wouldn't be missed.
I don't want to lump that repulsive slime in with Bob Dole. Although a lot of folks on FR aren't too hot about Dole, no matter what, he was still always loyal to the party and would never do anything as disgusting as Parkinson's little stunt.
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