Wow, thought only weak-kneed Republicans switched parties, not the other way around. Unless it was just never reported before
We’ll give them Kasich as a consolation prize.
In 1986, Shelby won a tight race as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate. In 1994, the day after the Republican Revolution in which the GOP gained the majority in Congress midway through President Bill Clinton's first term, Shelby switched party affiliations and became a Republican. Shelby was re-elected by a large margin in 1998 and has faced no significant electoral opposition since. He is currently the dean of the Alabama delegation.
Several have, the most prominent over the past couple of decades has been Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell from Colorado. He switched from Democrat to Republican in 1995. He was only two years into his first term and won another term as a Republican before retiring.
Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a Colorado U.S. Senator who switched quite a few years back. Before him was Phil Gramm and John Connoly of Texas.
Off the top of my head there were Phil Gramm, Richard Shelby (those were both Senate), Eugene Atkinson (who endorsed Ted Kennedy over Jimmy Carter in 1980, switched to Republican (somewhat inspired by redistricting - but it was a dummymander ; he lost in 1982 - Reagan appointed him to some low level executive branch position).
I’m 75 and I have seen far more D to R switches than the reverse. Seldom does one elected as a Republican have anything to gain by switching to the rat party unless he is as crooked as a rattlesnake.