Rep Ralph Hall (D-TX) To Switch Parties

Fox News Channel | 01-02-04 | Tall_Texan

[Tall_Texan]

Brian Wilson on Special Report says U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas will be switching parties from Democrat to Republican. He is being pushed into a heavily GOP district with the new boundaries and he is known as a conservative Democrat. While it may not change that many votes, it will add one more "R" to the congressional makeup.

[Consort]

CNN just mentioned Hall's switch, showing his picture with the caption "Party Pooper" under it.

[JohnnyZ]

It's going to be hard to take out Lincoln Davis.

He ain't gonna switch, neither. He's defiantly Democrat. And I agree that Spratt's district is okay until he retires, although he's starting to pick up Republican spillover from Charlotte across the state line, which could make it competitive.

[Republican Wildcat]

That'll depend on how wide a margin Bush wins by.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Congressman Hall no longer wants to be associated with the "traitor/treason" Democrat Party that, destroyed USA intelligence gathering capability and stood by and did absolutely nothing to prevent 911.

[2Jedismom]

I used to work in the Republican headquarters in Tyler back in oh...94? 95? During W.'s first run for Gov and when Dole was running for president. I saw Ralph Hall all the time! He'd be in the Republican headquarters all the time! Every Republican I knew was voting for him!

[Tall_Texan]

CNN just mentioned Hall's switch, showing his picture with the caption "Party Pooper" under it.

My guess is CNN didn't have that reaction for Jim Jeffords (I-Traitor).

[decimalsanddollars]

there is no way Oberstar's district is going Republican in the next 20 years at least. It's been Democrat since the 50's, voted for Gore by a fairly wide margin, and has voted for Democrats in virtually every other race as well, it was where Humphrey had the best showing in his 3 way governor's race in 1998, since most of the people are party loyalists rather than the liberals who were drawn in by Jesse's socially liberal views. It also has Duluth, which is a pretty liberal city, and no way to neutralize that. Oberstar's hardly a blue dog anyway, he may be pro-life and pro-gun, but otherwise he's your typical socialist, leftist extremist democrat.

Peterson's is a toss up. The people there are like the Dakotas, they're pretty nonpartisan. Yet somehow it takes a Dem as conservative as Peterson to win there but the Dakotas elect full blown socialists. I've never been able to figure that out. But I don't think he'll be leaving for awhile anyway.

And Moore is anything but a Blue Dog, he's definately a liberal, he only has a 20 from the ACU. He even supports partial birth abortion. How he survives there is a mystery.

[Tall_Texan]

They were emissaries to the barbaric Daschele hoard.

There are some advantages to having a few plants in the other party. Remember Zell Miller helped to co-sponsor some Senate bills, giving the GOP the bi-partisan "cover" they desired. A few Halls and Stenholms in the Dem Party isn't that awful.

I can't tell you if Hall would be better to have as an R in Congress than another Republican. My guess is RINO-maker Rove would rather have somebody less conservative actually.

[Kuksool]

I agree that Spratt is safe in the SC-05. But, even an open race is no sure thing for the GOP. Having a 30% African-American population makes the SC-05 winnable for a RAT with strong local appeal. Jim Hodges and Ernest Hollis carried the SC-05 in their campaigns.

Lincoln Davis is a loyal Dem. He supported Al Gore in 2000. I doubt he'll switch. But, he is quite conservative for a Dem these days.

There is no guarantee that Cooksey will reclaim the LA-05. There has been a serious RAT trend there. Mary Landrieu, Kathleen Blanco, and Foti, and that Insurance Commissioner carried that region in 2003. I think we'll have better luck winning Chris John's House seat, the LA-07.

[Dryman]

I know its late. Most of the posting is already done on this topic.

I worked for a Republican candidate who opposed Ralph in two elections in the 90's.

I know Ralph, My Dad knew Ralph. Heck, everybody in that district knows Ralph. I am from the same county in which he resides. He is a Campaigner Deluxe. I heard word that he had told one of the Republican Candidates that he would not run again. I am certain he parsed his language carefully and indicated he would not be the Demonrat Candidate.

My limited experience in the political arena assures me that no longer does Mr. Smith go to Washington. (That would be great if real people went to Washington and did their stint; then they came home to live with what they had done! It does not happen that way.) I no longer live in that district, but I welcome Mr. Hall into the party in which he has belonged. He does have "Washington Experience."

At this juncture, I prefer someone who can read the handwriting on the wall. IMHO, this bodes extremely well for the redistricting. He has got the inside track.

We also need to remember, he has a son who is a District Judge.

A Republican District Judge.

Same last name is good for the sheeple.

[xzins]

I didn't like it when Jeffords did it; I don't like it now.

It is too utilitarian.....now he's in a Republican region.

He should continue as a Democrat until this term is over. He should then run and win as a Republican. Then I have no problem.

That's where I stood with Jumpin' Jim Jeffords. Sometimes consistency counts.

[Kuksool]

I'm pleased that Hall finally saw the Light. Why any conservative aligns him/herself with the RATS remains a mystery. Today's RAT party, run by the likes of Clinton, Pelosi, and Dean, is no longer your Grandfather's RAT party.

[BobS]

Welcome, Ralph! You will have some nice friends!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

He's a DINO who should have switched a long time ago. Look at post 61 for his ACU rating.

Roger that. Then he is welcome fo the party of freedom lovers.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I can only hope that California undergoes a similar metamorphosis before the Dims totally destroy the state.

[JohnnyZ]

He should continue as a Democrat until this term is over. He should then run and win as a Republican. Then I have no problem.

You know we're right at the filing deadline, right? You want him to run in the Republican primary while being a Democrat in Congress? Or do you want him to serve out his term, skip a term, then run again in 2006?

Makes it pretty damn hard for a Congressman to switch that way . . .

[JohnnyZ]

there is no way Oberstar's district is going Republican in the next 20 years at least.

I dunno 'bout that. The Iron Range is shifting more Republican because of social issues, unions be damned. And the southern part of the district is becoming suburbanized.

It'll certainly be doable if Republicans control the next round of redistricting. Maybe the DFL will experience a rebirth, but my guess is things are gonna get a bit worse for them before they get better.

[Impy]

He voted "present" rather than for Pelosi but he voted against the GOP house rules. Though he said if his vote was needed it would have gone to Hastert.


I don't know why now, his seat actually becomes more rat under the new map.

But welcome Ralph, you should have switched 20 friggin years ago! I admit I don't know what it feels like to have your political party turn into the opposite of what you believe but come on DINOs wake up and smell the socialism.

And props to our buddy Howard Dean, I'm sure his likely nomination is a factor in this.