Politico: Parker Griffith, freshman Democrat from Alabama, will switch parties this afternoon.

[flpoljunkie]

POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.

According to a senior GOP aide familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place in this afternoon in his home district in northern Alabama.

Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.

The switch represents a coup for House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls over the summer.

Griffith, who captured the seat in a close 2008 open seat contest, will become the first Republican to hold the historically Democratic, Huntsville-based district. A radiation oncologist who founded a cancer treatment center, Griffith plans to blast the Democratic health care bill as a prime reason for his decision to switch parties—and is expected to cite his medical background as his authority on the subject.

more...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896.html

[chimpymustgo]

1. One of Rahm's recruits?

[flpoljunkie]

2. I wonder. I say good riddance to the Alabama Dem who votes with R's and insulted our speaker.

Griffith said in August that he would not back Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for House Speaker again because she is too divisive.

"I would not vote for her. Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together," he told a local newspaper. "If she doesn't like it, I've got a gift certificate to the mental health center."

Griffith won the open 5th district by a mere 4 percent in 2008; Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) carried the district with 61 percent in the presidential election.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/73329-blue-dog-dem-griffith-to-switch-parties

[Laelth]

37. I agree. Good riddance.

He's probably right about this "health insurance reform" bill, though I suspect he's right for all the wrong reasons.

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Parker CA]

3. Does anyone know what this guy's vote was initially on HCR?

[flpoljunkie]

9. He voted against it, as well as the stimulus, energy bill and financial regulatory reform.

He has bucked the Democratic leadership on nearly all of its major domestic initiatives, including the stimulus package, health care legislation, the cap-and trade energy bill and financial regulatory reform.

He was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the stimulus.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896.html

[Parker CA]

13. Thank you! Much as I assumed. Not so much of a loss as a change of jersey.

[asjr]

4. This probably was his plan all along. I don't

think Huntsvillians will be pleased to have been used.

[tridim]

5. This turncoat will quickly become a hero for the Chicken Little DU'ers.

Gee, I can't wait. :eyes:

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tridim]

17. We'll see.

Some of the RW crap I've seen supported on DU recently blows my Democratic mind.

I hope for your sake that you're right.

[girl gone mad]

14. Maybe Obama can offer him an appointment.

I'm sure his stock just went way up with the WH.

[madfloridian]

6. There are 4 Dems from Red States stepping. Getting suspicious.

They are not giving reasons.

Yes, Most of these were supported by Rahm.

[villager]

8. so much for the "recruiting rightwingers" strategy...

n/t

[Parker CA]

15. All today? Were any of them supportive if the first HCR vote?

[madfloridian]

23. No, I have been reading about them.. Not running again is what I heard.

So perhaps stepping down was confusing. They are not going to run again, thus allowing the seats to go republican most likely.

I hate to say it was planned, but it sure seems that way.

[Parker CA]

16. Delete. Dupe.

[fugop]

10. Good riddance

I'm not big on driving out blue dogs from red states, but this guy? Voted against climate bill, against health care, against stimulus. At least some of the blue dogs (and even Lieberman and Nelson) have stepped up from time to time on important votes. This one really does look like a closet GOper. So really, no loss here.

[kstewart33]

11. Having grown up in Huntsville, the switch is no surprise.

The "historically Democratic Huntsville-based district." Politico is really stretching the truth on that one.

I don't recall Huntsville consistently supporting Dem candidates. They did go with Obama, but also for GWB in 2000 and 2004. And GHW Bush in 1988. Jeff Sessions does very well in Huntsville.

Alabama has been touted as a Democratic state in terms of the state House and Senate. But don't be fooled - an Alabama Democrat is so in name only. Politically, Alabama is conservative Republican and rabid Republican on social issues. In southeast Huntsville, you can drive a mile down Whitesburg Drive and there'll be a church literally on every corner. Drive east a bit and there are megachurches, one the size of a pro football stadium.

I return there every summer to visit family. I've seen no measureable change in the politics.

[girl gone mad]

12. 1994 redux.

[onenote]

34. wouldn't it make sense to wait until after Nov 2010 to say that?

I don't recall a lot of Democratic members jumping to the repub side before the 1994 election. And whether or not others jump ship in 2010 will depend on whether the repubs could recapture control of the House, something that still seems to be a stretch.

[Tippy]

18. Rep. Parker Griffith, Vice Chair of Blue Dog Health Care Task Force

I am a member of a number of task forces and caucuses that help me to better serve the people of North Alabama:

Army Caucus
Blue Dog Health Care Task Force (vice-chair)
Cancer Caucus
Down Syndrome Caucus
Hydro Caucus
Missile Defense Caucus (co-chair)
Modeling & Simulation Caucus
NASA House Action Committee
Parkinson's Caucus
Pediatric Cancer Caucus
Pro-Life Caucus
Robotics Caucus
Rural Caucus
Rural Health Care Task Force (co-chair)
Small Brewers Caucus

[LiberalFighter]

24. He sure belongs to a lot of caucuses but does he get anything done?

[Tippy]

42. I think from what I read anyway he wealthy in his own right...

Possibly he wanted to replace DR. Dean....or he is more interested in playing at politics...

[S_E_Fudd]

19. Good...maybe we can get a few more like him to follow...nt

[uponit7771]

20. He doesn't sound look like he was voting even DNC agenda

[frazzled]

21. I'm sure he was never a Democrat to begin with--only to be elected

It says right in there that this is a historically Democratic district. Though I'm sure it's probably a damned conservative Democratic district (vestige of Dixiecrat times). Just as in Massachusetts one runs as a Democrat to get seated (though there are tons of ultra conservative Democrats in the state legislature), this guy probably ran as a Dem to win ... and thinks he can return to his "true" self and still get reelected.

I don't think there's much more to read into this story than that.

[onenote]

26. its a very conservative district

Don't let the fact that it has traditionally elected Democrats fool you. The district hasn't gone for a Democratic presidential nominee in over 30 years. Every county in the district supported McCain over Obama. And Griffith only got 52 percent of the vote.

[frazzled]

31. Um, that is what I was saying. /nt

[Aramchek]

22. he'll lose in 2010

[onenote]

33. not likely

Griffith's predecessor, Bud Cramer, was elected 9 times, and before Cramer, Ronnie Flippo was elected 7 times. Incumbents rarely lose in most places and even more rarely in that area.

onedit: one possible exception -- if there is a strong enough repub challenger to him in a primary, he might end up not even being on the ballot. But even so, its likely to be an uphill climb for a Democrat to grab the seat back.

[Aramchek]

35. Griffith's predecessors were Democrats

[onenote]

39. Democrats in name only in recent years

This is a district that has not voted for a Democrat for President since 1976. A district in which every county favored McCain over Obama. A district in which McCain got 60 percent plus and Obama got 39 percent and change. A district in which Griffith, as the nominee endorsed by a retiring incumbent who had been elected with more than 60 percent of the vote in recent campaigns, still managed only to eke out a 52-48 percent victory. He's vulnerable, but probably moreso from a repub primary challenge, than from a Democratic incumbent.

Its further interesting to note that while Griffith's predecessor voted with the Democratic party 94 percent of the time in the 110th Congress, he only voted with the party 78.6% of the time in the 109th Congress (third lowest among all Democrats). The likely reason for the difference? He was running for re-election during the 109th Congress. He was retiring after the 110th.

[LiberalFighter]

25. Anyone in the medical field I question the reason they don't support HCR.

Could it be that he is only interested in how much money he makes vs helping patients?

[Tippy]

27. With Republicans it is always about the MONEY,,,,,,,,

They don't care about people dying...They are so damm greedy I hope they all choke on their money....I am so darn mad..This guy is on Bart Gordon's committes..at least Bart had the decency to retire.....

[CK_John]

29. IMO, His cancer hospital specializes in false hope and lots of prayer and big bucks from medicare.

[dgibby]

28. Just another republican plant. n/t

[AuntPatsy]

30. slowly but surely, the pieces are beginning to move into place for the next move....

[onenote]

40. which would be what?

don't keep secrets.

[Sebastian Doyle]

32. Don't let the door hit you in the ass Parker

Please take some more false "Democrats" with you.

[Wardoc]

36. Welcome to 1994. It is going to be ugly.

[vaberella]

38. Later Parker you won't be missed. nt

[dcsmart]

41. Cheap move....don't vote for it...but why switch parties.

not sure how an elected democrat switches to unelected republican. Not much sense it that...i guess to some, one philosophy is as good as another, which in the end makes the philosophy arbitrary.