Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Switch Hitters

This is not about proper strategy for baseball team managers. It is about legislator going from Democrat to Republican. Here is sme news from November 4th.

The Republicans’ 60-seat pickup in Congress – the most by any party in a half-century – appears insignificant when you consider that in the New Hampshire state House, Republicans appear to have gained at least 120 seats.

All told, Republicans gained at least 680 state legislative seats nationwide on Tuesday night, according to an analysis by the National Conference of State Legislatures, an outcome that could have far-reaching implications for both parties.

Preliminary results indicate that the GOP gained control of at least 19 of the nation’s 99 state legislative chambers, while holding others where they were already in the majority. Heading into the election, Democrats controlled both houses of 27 state legislatures, while Republicans held both in 14, and eight were evenly divided.

The result is devastating for Democrats in this respect: Many state legislatures control the decennial process of redrawing state legislative and congressional district boundaries. The NCSL now says Republicans have unilateral control of the boundaries of 190 congressional districts.
And that was just November 4th. Since then there have been a lot of defections.

Some of them are chronicled at the below links:

Like Rats from a Sinking Ship: Yet another Democrat Rep. switches to Republican in Georgia

BIG NEWS!! Another Party Switcher - Dem Rep. in Kansas goes Republican

Small-town Mayor in New Jersey switches to Republican; inspired by Chris Christie. From the link:
Since the election dozens of local elected officials and state legislators have switched from Democrat to Republican in the States of Maine, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, South Dakota, and now New Jersey.
Yet another Georgia Democrat State Rep. switches to Republican

Two more Party Switchers to join Republicans: This time in the Lone Star State

Three more Democrats switch to Republican in Georgia From the link:
Seven Democrat state legislators in Georgia have switched to Republican since the election. Now the Democrat switchers includes Democrats who are not legislators.

Meet the Georgia GOP's three newest members.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Two black Democrats bolt party for GOP"
Two African-American Democrats [Actually three] on Thursday announced that they were joining the Republican Party.

Hall County Commissioner Ashley Bell and former state executive committee member Andre Walker said the Democratic Party had grown too liberal and they are finding a new home with the Republicans.

Athens, G - A going Republican?

South Dakota State Senator & World Famous Vineyard Owner switches to Republican

Well you get the idea. Maybe my post Socialism has died - it has not gone to heaven v2.0, was just a bit premature. The November election is going to hurt Democrats for at least a decade and maybe decades.

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