Posted on 12/17/2010 6:58:00 PM PST by LdSentinal
The Louisiana House swung Republican Friday with state Rep. Noble Ellington’s defection from the Democratic Party.
The move has both political and historical significance.
“For the first time since Reconstruction, Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives,” said House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown.
“I’m very happy about that,” he said.
Like legislatures across the nation, Louisiana’s Legislature is increasingly becoming Republican.
Recent defections from the Democratic ranks in Louisiana include state Rep. Fred Mills, state Sen. John Alario, state Sen. John Smith, state Rep. Walker Hines and state Rep. Simone Champagne.
Ellington’s switch gave Republicans the additional member they needed to take control of the House.
There now are 53 Republicans, 48 Democrats and four House members without a party affiliation.
Democrats still dominate the state Senate with 20 members. The Republican have 18 senators and there is one vacancy.
Ellington said he switched because of a shift in his northeast Louisiana district. He lives in Winnsboro.
“My district has changed, I think, and seems to be more following the Republican philosophy,” he said.
Ellington also acknowledged he would like to be speaker of the House and that changing his party affiliation “doesn’t hurt” that goal.
Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere lauded the switch in a prepared statement.
“For more than 100 years the Louisiana House of Representatives has remained under Democrat control, but today that has all come to an end,” he said.
Louisiana Democratic Party spokesman Kevin Franck said Democrats will continue to fight what he characterized as Republican-lead efforts to cut higher education and health care funding.
“It’s a shame that a handful of politicians have succumbed to the temptation of putting personal ambition ahead of serving their constituents, but the Louisiana Democratic Party will not be deterred from our mission to stand up for the little guy and make sure government works for the people, not the powerful,” he said.
Great news!
On the other hand, in DC: “In Congress, Louisiana’s House delegation ranks as the 9th most conservative, behind Idaho, Kentucky, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Kansas, Alabama and Alaska.” according to the National Journal.
http://www.theind.com/news/5792-la-congressional-delegation-ranks-as-9th-most-conservative
ROLF, that’s the media for you.
I wonder if we can get the Senate before the election too!
John Alario came out and said that the reason he switched is because he wants to be president of the senate.
Yeah, right.
People dependent on Gov assistance for everything(Food, housing,etc.), up to travel, waited for the buses to roll out. Instead, all the buses flooded & their voter base was left, stranded.
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