Exclusive: Rep. Parker Griffith switches to GOP

Politico ^ | 12/22/2009 | JOSH KRAUSHAAR

[Danae]

POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.

According to a senior GOP aide familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place in this afternoon in his home district in northern Alabama.

[Danae]

Welcome to the LIGHT Brother! God bless ya!

[Sybeck1]

He saw the polls!

[myself6]

Run a conservative against him in the next primary.

[tubebender]

Did he vote for or against the debacle...

[demkicker]

He was blind, but can now see.

[screaminsunshine]

The first sign of the Rats deserting the sinking ship. How will the Socialist media cover it up.

[NeoCaveman]

And so it begins.

[stevio]

Saw the light? Likely wants to run with the RINOs.

[notaliberal]

Another RINO—hey pal we don’t need ya!

[stylin19a]

do anything to get re-elected ?

[edcoil]

Do not trust them. Remember at 1994 and the large number of switches - what did it get us. More RINO’s.

[jersey117]

Whatever, we’ll take him. Whatever it takes to stop the bill. That should be our first priority at this stage.

[Danae]

"While the timing of his announcement was unexpected, Griffith’s party switch will not come as a surprise to those familiar with his voting record, which is one of the most conservative among all Democrats.

He has bucked Democratic leadership on nearly all of its major domestic initiatives, including the stimulus package, health care legislation, the cap-and trade energy bill and financial regulatory reform.

He was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the stimulus. The Obama administration’s decision to scrap plans to build a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe further frustrated Griffith, according to GOP sources, since his home district contains the base for Boeing’s ground-based missile defense research.

Ironically, a National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman called Griffith a “woefully ineffective advocate for Tennessee Valley jobs” after the decision was announced in September.

Signs of Griffith’s dissatisfaction with his party began to surface publicly during the summer recess, when he received an earful of criticism from constituents. In August—one month after Republicans picked up his former state legislative seat in a special election—he told a local newspaper that he wouldn't vote for Nancy Pelosi to remain as House Speaker because she's too divisive. He joked that if she didn’t like it, he’d provide her with a gift certificate to a mental health center.

He added that if the Democratic leadership wouldn't commit to working in a more bipartisan manner, "perhaps we should look at altering that."

[billhilly]

Tip of the iceberg.

[kevinm13]

Wouldn’t it be nice if this is the beginning of a trend of worried Dems who like their jobs and want to be re-elected. Lets hope the rest who don’t follow get defeated in 2010.

[yongin]

We finally have Buddy Cramer’s seat!

[silverleaf]

Pelosi’s flying monkeys are circling his district looking for him

[Danae]

Hey, sounds to me like he is more conservative than John McCain.

I can live with that.

[ConservaTexan]

RINO. Alabama, please defeat him in the primary and run a conservative!

[LachlanMinnesota]

I label is only a label...what are his stands on positions of importance to conservatives?