State Rep. Kendrick switches to GOP

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Bill Cotterell
FLORIDA CAPITAL BUREAU POLITICAL EDITOR

Maverick state Rep. Will Kendrick of Carrabelle, who has bucked the Democratic Party on some key votes during his six years in the Legislature, startled party members Monday by becoming a Republican.

''I just saw how the political climate was going,'' said Kendrick. ''If I was a professional, full-time politician, or planned to be around here a while, this probably wouldn't be a real good move for me.''

Although Republicans lost two congressional seats in Florida on Nov. 7, and a third is being contested in court, the state GOP largely dodged the anti-incumbency and anti-Republican trends that cost the party control of Congress. Gov.-elect Charlie Crist won easily and Republican Bill McCollumn will succeed Crist as attorney general, although Democrats won the chief financial officer's Cabinet post and gained seven seats - now six - in the Florida House.

Kendrick said Crist carried eight of the 10 counties he represents in a rural and coastal section of the Panhandle and Big Bend. He said he ''has had some philosophical differences'' with the Democrats over his six years in the Legislature and 14 on the Franklin County school board, and felt he could be more effective in his final two years in the House as a Republican.

more: http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061121/CAPITOLNEWS/611210341/1010/NEWS01&GID=hdsBgaGRm7uNItVoqS5q6SLML/zXFRk0b555eWfFe9Y%3D

[fladonkey]

1. That's all right folks....

look what happened to Sheri McInvale!

[ellenfl]

3. who's sheri mcinvale and what happened to her? eom

[Orangepeel]

4. former state rep from the Orlando area

she switched from Dem to GOP in 2004 after barely winning a primary. She was just defeated handily, after outspending her opponent by a huge amount.

Unfortunately, the situations probably aren't comparable, as her former district (now represented by Scott Randolph) is very Democratic. But let's hope this dolt gets thrown out as well.

[RagingInMiami]

2. Doesn't he know that you're supposed to jump off a sinking ship

Not on a sinking ship?