Louisiana congressman considering switch to GOP

[tobius]

MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press Writer

Thursday, March 4, 2004
(03-04) 17:32 PST NEW ORLEANS (AP) --

Democratic Rep. Rodney Alexander is considering a switch to the Republican side, saying he's voted with the GOP on legislation including President Bush's tax cuts and the war in Iraq.... <snip> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/04/politics2024EST0824.DTL

The congressman from northern Louisiana said Breaux and Blanco "just let me know that they were unhappy even hearing that I would talk to the other side because they're both 100 percent Democrat. I'm not 100 percent Democrat. They've all endorsed John Kerry (for president), and I'm not going to do that....." <snip>

Alexander said he did not have a deadline but would choose between the parties before he signs up to seek re-election this summer.
The House of Representatives is currently composed of 228 Republicans, 205 Democrats and one Democratic-leaning independent. One seat is vacant.

[coloradodem2005]

1. Get a real Democrat in that seat,

[bluestateguy]

2. He'll get brushed off in the primary

Party switchers often lose primaries. I guess the Republicans need to make up for the seat they lost in Kentucky and the one they are going to lose in South Dakota on June 1.

[lancdem]

17. I think you're right about that

They're trying to blunt the embarrassment of losing that House seat in Kentucky.

[UpInArms]

3. don't let the door hit you in the ass Rodney eom

[jus_the_facts]

4. I F'N KNEW IT.....

.....goddamn traitor! :grr:

[Lori Price CLG]

10. No, it's great! Best to be rid of him. I wish Lieberman wd change to GOP

Lieberman should become a moderate Republican, and stop embarrassing the Democrats. That way, when he appears on Faux 'News' as he did earlier tonight, and states that Kerry (and Bush) should 'show restraint,' it's a lot more palatable. And, when he stands with Bush in the Rose Garden, :puke: ,I wouldn't give it a second thought.

-Lori Price

[Democat]

5. How much money did Bush's people offer him?

Politicians become Democrats because of their conscious and become Republicans because of their checkbooks.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

7. it wouldn't take much...not much economic recovery going on in 5th Dist...

...stretches from north to central Louisiana, eastern side. Whatever industry was there is prob'ly long gone, some timber, some ag, some natural gas in the central parishes. Can you say "buckle on the Bible Belt"...?

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. A minimum of $100,000 under the table

plus extra campaign cash is the going rate. Also, guaranteed choice committee assignments and pictures with Adolph Bush and other Nazi cabinet members. Let's not forget all the favorable press from the big, fat drug addict, Rush Limbaugh. Ann Coulter might even pay him a visit wearing her knee pads and garter belt.

[frustrated_lefty]

6. Swing states respond...(n/t)

[erpowers]

8. I can't believe this!!!

This is the guy who rode on the back of Mary Landrieu's coattails. We really need to get him out of that seat. I will do as much as I can to get him kicked out of congress. What's his problem with supporting Kerry. Soon he will find out what happens to Democrats that are not 100% Democrats and I am talking about what the Republicans will do to him if he does not change parties. Their going to cremate him just like they tries to cremate Mary Landrieu.

[notbush]

11. I'm sick as hell about Dem party switchers

In the last 10 years I can point at many(Phil Graham,Cambell,Shelby,...)state wide elected federal officials who switches D to R.....All we 've got is Jeffords. What the fuck is wrong with these people?
Why are we losing them?
You can say "fuckum they were repugs to begin with"
Ed Koch, Zell Miller, life long Dems campaigning for B***.
I just don't feel good about it...
Change my mind.

[tobius]

12. Jeffords became an Independent

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2001-06-05-jeffords.htm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Jim Jeffords' 9,640th day in Congress was like no other: He dined with the Democrats and drew a standing ovation for doing so. Tuesday was the day the Vermont senator shed his lifelong label of Republican and became an independent, a move that shifts control of the Senate to the Democrats.

[Atlant]

14. The South simply isn't a Democratic place anymore.

And the Nixon "Southern Strategy" is in full bloom.

The issues of God, Gays, Guns, and "minorities" will keep the
South firmly Republican unless/until demographics overtake it.

Atlant

[lancdem]

16. The vast majority of party switchers did so after the 1994

election, when the Dems were creamed. Lately, it's been close to even with Dems switching to Repuke and vice versa. A lot of the Repukes becoming Dems are at the state level, and we don't hear much about it. In PA, where I live, a prominent moderate Repug, Barbara Hafer, recently changed her registration to Dem. The situation is not nearly as bad as it was a decade ago. :)

[Piperay]

13. If that is the way he feels...good riddance

to bad rubbage. :puke:

[ithacan]

15. good!

This guy should not be a Dem, clearly, and should be encouraged to switch parties.

Any Democrat who considers endorsing Bush, given the absolutely extremist right wing agenda this regime is pushing, is not a Democrat.