Republicans, Democrats voice opinions on switching parties
Eight Republicans in state races have switched to Democratic Party this year
6:01 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Many were shocked when Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced her running mate, former Chairman of the State Republican Party, Mark Parkinson.
Four years ago when Sebelius chose John Moore, also a former Republican, as her lieutenant governor, Parkinson criticized that decision, something he has since apologized for.
“I want to be the very first to stand in front of you and say I was wrong,” Parkinson said.
Now, it's the current Republican Party leadership's turn to criticize the most recent switches, like that of Attorney General Candidate Paul Morrison. He's currently the Johnson County District Attorney, a job he won running as a Republican.
“Paul Morrison waited until he until got a four-year term and once he was in that term said now I'm a Democrat,” said David Kensinger, Shawnee County Republican Party. “That's what he chose to do. I think anybody who does that is essentially saying what they told voters wasn't true.”
But Morrison said the position he's running for, Kansas Attorney General, is not a partisan role.
“I've never heard anybody say there was a Republican or Democratic way to fight crime or to prosecute a criminal,” he said.
And across the state, six other candidates, all running for a seat in the Kansas House of Representatives, have also made the switch.
“It tends to show that most people are moderate,” Morrison said. “I believe most people are sort of in the middle in their thinking and I think the Democratic Party has a great allure in that regard now.”
And, we'll find out just how well the party-switchers fared after the general election in November.
Comments
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Jul. 9, 2006 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)cowboyneok (anonymous)
I think its refreshing to see moderate Republicans and those who don't believe in the scorched earth Rovian Republican philosphies switching to the Democratic party. The Republican party is finally being exposed for what it is. The Republicans are GREAT when it comes to being political and using dirty tricks to win, but they aren't a good party when they try to implement their self serving ideas to govern. Their biggest problem is their campaign ideas are all just a bunch of propaganda and nasty sloganeering. It takes more than slogans to govern.
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