another Zell Miller traitor Democrat switches

[Ficus]

TEXAS CONGRESSMAN BOLTS TO GOP. Facing a tough re-election fight in an increasingly Republican leading district -- especially after the new reapportionment -- Congressman Ralph Hall switched from Democrat to Republican on Friday. "I've always said that if being a Democrat hurt my district I would switch or I would resign," explained Hall to the AP. He claimed that GOP leaders recently refused to fund projects in his district and -- when he asked a colleague why -- "the only reason I was given was I was a Democrat." Even before the switch, Hall had built one of the most conservative voting records in Congress. "I don't think this is going to upset the Democratic Party. I haven't been voting with them in 10 or 15 or 20 years," joked the Congressman. Hall, 80, is currently serving his 12th term in Washington. Congressional candidate filing in the state ends January 16.

www.politics1.com

It's not like he'll be missed with his record - but our numbers continue to shrink. Will we EVER get congress back?

[Homer12]

1. Add one more RePuke to the Pile

[pmbryant]

2. Hall switched long ago

Quite a while back (a year or two) I think he said he would vote for the GOP for speaker if it came down to his single vote.

So he essentially switched a long time ago. This is just a formality.

--Peter

[PVnRT]

3. At least he actually switched

You know, like Zell needs to do, to stop tainting our party.

[Ficus]

4. he isn't running again

and that's good enough for me. Except that his seat will most definitley be a Republican held now, which isn't much different than from before.

[wryter2000]

5. Let's find out who's running against him

And send lots of $$$.

[Ficus]

14. opponents

Texas District 4:

Ralph Hall (R)* - (Campaign Site)

Bob Collins (R) - College Professor
Gene Cristensen (R) - Executive Director
Steve Clark (R) - Technology Executive & USAF Veteran
Ray Ivie (R) - Retired Navy Officer & Ex-Congressional Fellow
Mike Murphy (R) - Businessman
Jerry Ashford Jr. (D) - Labor Union Business Manager
Jim Nickerson (D) - Recycling Company President & Community Activist
Paul Combs (Independent) - Business Office Manager & Army Veteran

[Rowdyboy]

6. Once we get rid of the 20 DINO senators

and the 75 or so DINO representatives, our party will be pure. A pathetic minority, sure, but ideologically pure-nonetheless.

[Ficus]

10. I believe in the big tent

and I have room for people with conservative views in our party. It's not that. Voting for PATRIOT Act or IWR or DOMA or fill in the blank bill here doesn't make you a DINO. Voting republican 75-80% of the the time kinda does though.

I don't want an idealogically pure party. We'd be the Greens then, and that's scary. I don't think there are 20 DINO Senators. I think there is 1 or 2. There are just as many Republicans who are RINO.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

13. Yeah, but, what exactly was this guy contributing to the Democratic cause?

[arcane1]

7. "GOP leaders recently refused to fund projects in his district..."

"and -- when he asked a colleague why -- "the only reason I was given was I was a Democrat."

and he JOINED these assholes??????


good riddance

[tom_paine]

11. Yep, the Busheviks are behaving like Caesers

Breaking traditions of civility that have held this natiuon together.

But of course Third World Nations, like Imperial Amerika is trending towards, do not rely on civility or compromise, just power and brute fear.

Now the Busheviks aren't very violent, but they know fear and use it regularly against anyone who opposes them.

Only a very few get Wellstoned.

[Anaxamander]

8. "I don't think this is going to upset the Democratic Party...

...I haven't been voting with them in 10 or 15 or 20 years," joked the Congressman."

Don't let the donkey kick you in the ass on the way out.

[Blue_Roses]

9. He's 80

f****** years old. He needs to retire his wrinkled old ass PERMANENTLY. Good ridance to bad rubbish.

:mad:

[candy331]

16. Yep! I agree he needs

to go home and let someone who can plan for the future that he surely could care less about since he want be around to live it.

[CBHagman]

12. It's not going to make that much difference.

If you look at his ADA and AFL-CIO ratings, you'll see he was pretty much in the other camp already.

And yes, we will get Congress back. I've heard no end of claims in the media that the Democrats will never in a million, jillion years be a majority party again, but that's exaggerated. We are a split country, for the most part, and things will swing in the other direction eventually.

I also don't believe in a "pure" Democratic Party. It wasn't pure 10 years ago and isn't today. Don't let self-righteousness cause you to snub what allies you have.

[David__77]

15. Hall makes Zell Miller look like Barbara Boxer.

Despite Miller's Bush endorsement, his track record is better than Hall's. Hall has been a leader of the "New Right" and Reaganism since his career in congress began. He's merely a beachhead of the right in the Democratic Party. He doesn't vote for a Democrat as speaker and only serves to fill house committee seats that could be filled instead with an actual Democrat. If Miller switched, I'd feel differently. Hall's votes won't change, and it's not as if he's a major headliner at party fundraisers. If anything, his statements draw attention to the GOP gravy train.