Posted on 09/17/2003 7:07:41 PM PDT by Libloather
Decker switches back to GOP
The legislator who shifted the balance of power with his move to the Democrats is back, but resentments linger
By DAN KANE, Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 17, 2003 12:00AM EDT
The man who deadlocked the state House of Representatives by crossing over to the Democrats in January returned to the Republicans this week, but the historic power-sharing agreement he triggered will likely remain in place through next year. Rep. Mike Decker of Walkertown changed his registration Monday, giving the GOP a 61-59 edge in the House.
"It wasn't my objective to stay in the Democratic Party as long as I did," Decker said Tuesday. "My objective was to stop a Republican House candidate for speaker, and it was the only way it could be done."
Any attempts to undo the co-speakership would require a two-thirds majority vote, according to House rules. That rule was added in 1989 to protect then House Speaker Joe Mavretic, a Democrat who struck a deal with Republicans to oust another Democrat, Liston Ramsey, from the post.
Decker opposed former Minority Leader Leo Daughtry's candidacy for speaker, and his switch allowed a coalition of all 60 Democrats and a minority of Republicans to elect Democrat Jim Black and Republican Richard Morgan co-speakers. Many Republicans who did not support the coalition have found it rough going ever since.
Decker said he would have switched back sooner if it weren't for the "nasty and childish" attacks Republican leaders launched against him in his hometown and at the legislature.
Though his switch to the Democrats may have endangered him politically -- his district is predominantly Republican -- it did win Decker a few perks. Black allowed Decker's son to be hired as a legislative aide, and he helped Decker raise campaign money from fellow optometrists.
Black said Tuesday he wasn't disappointed by Decker's switch and has no plans to punish Decker, though he wouldn't say whether he would continue to help Decker raise money.
"He's certainly not a hypocrite," Black said. "He didn't stay a Republican and vote for me. He became a Democrat and voted for me, so he showed a lot of courage."
GOP officials, however, aren't warming up to Decker's return.
"I don't think his constituents are going to feel better about his betrayal now that he's just changed his party label again," said Jonathan Jordan, the state Republican Party communications director .
Other Republicans are already lining up to challenge Decker, but he said Tuesday that this might be his last term.
"Some people are asking me am I doing this to get re-elected. But I'm not even sure that I'm going to be running," Decker said.
Staff writer Dan Kane can be reached at 829-4861 or dkane@newsobserver.com.
Sure, that's what they all say...
"The initial switch by Decker, a conservative, led to the first-ever election of co-speakers, with Jim Black, a Democrat, and Richard Morgan, a Republican, sharing the gavel."
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