Democratic Party Responds To Party Switchers In Two Counties
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: February 1, 2011
The Alabama Democratic Party Tuesday lambasted nine elected Democratic
officials in Covington and Tuscaloosa counties for ignoring the will of
the voters by switching to the Republican Party.
It is the personal prerogative of local elected officials to join any political party they wish. Yet the crucial question in yesterday's party switches in Tuscaloosa and Covington counties is whether the voters of these counties have been fairly treated. For each office on the ballot in these nine cases, the voters chose Democrats to serve the interests of their families and communities, not Republicans.
Newly-elected Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy said, “These new Republicans won their seats with significant help and sacrifice from local Democrats, and Alabama Democrats will provide significant help and sacrifice to the nominees we will field in each of these nine future elections."
These party switchers have subverted the will of the voters. These were not acts of integrity as some claim, but selfish acts of self-interest. Three of these newly-minted Republicans were just re-elected as Democrats just three months ago, and if they were interested in serving the people they would have resigned their offices and stood for election as Republicans. Giving voters a choice rather than forcing them to be represented by members of a party whose nominees they have continually rejected would have been the honorable thing to do.
It is the personal prerogative of local elected officials to join any political party they wish. Yet the crucial question in yesterday's party switches in Tuscaloosa and Covington counties is whether the voters of these counties have been fairly treated. For each office on the ballot in these nine cases, the voters chose Democrats to serve the interests of their families and communities, not Republicans.
Newly-elected Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Mark Kennedy said, “These new Republicans won their seats with significant help and sacrifice from local Democrats, and Alabama Democrats will provide significant help and sacrifice to the nominees we will field in each of these nine future elections."
These party switchers have subverted the will of the voters. These were not acts of integrity as some claim, but selfish acts of self-interest. Three of these newly-minted Republicans were just re-elected as Democrats just three months ago, and if they were interested in serving the people they would have resigned their offices and stood for election as Republicans. Giving voters a choice rather than forcing them to be represented by members of a party whose nominees they have continually rejected would have been the honorable thing to do.
