Jackson Free Press

In light of President Barack Obama's affirmation of same-sex marriage earlier this month, seven former Democrats decided to go play for the other team.

At a news conference yesterday afternoon, the Mississippi Republican Party introduced its newest acquisitions from the state Democratic Party.

The party-switching officials are: Justice Court Judge David Lyons and Constable Mitch Sumrall of Jones County; Sheriff Greg Waggoner, Coroner Randolph Scott, Supervisor Tony Smith, Justice Court Judge Ken Adcock of Leake County; and Sheriff Jackie Knight of Newton County. Justice court judges are the only judges in the state that run by party affiliation.

Waggoner said Democrats have taken "an extreme left turn," alluding to Obama's announcement that he supports gay marriage as one reason he was leaving the party less than a year after winning election as a Democrat.

"I'm a Christian, and my first allegiance is to Jesus Christ. If we're going to preserve our country, we're going to have to preserve our families, and we're not going to preserve our families going the route that they want to go," Waggoner said.

A Mississippi Republican Party press release says more than 50 Democrats in Mississippi have gone to the other party "since Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama have taken over the national Democrat party (sic)."

In 2011, three Mississippi state legislators traded their Ds for Rs. They were Rep. Jeff Smith of Columbus and Rep. Donnie Bell of Fulton, and on the Senate side, Gray Tollison of Oxford.

"We are committed to winning elections at every level and are glad to welcome conservative Democrats in Mississippi who can no longer support the liberal policies of Barack Obama and the national Democratic Party," Gov. Phil Bryant said in a statement.

Rickey Cole, executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said the party expected to lose some members after Obama's gay marriage announcement and that party-switching is a natural part of the political process. However, calling their switch unfair to Democratic voters and their Republican primary challengers, Cole said the switchers should resign their seats and let their counties call special elections.

Cole shrugged off the Democratic Party's loss of these particular county officials, however. "You can't miss what you never had," Cole said.

Previous Comments

ID

167858

Comment

Waggoner should remember that his first allegiance as a public office holder is to the Constitution and to his constituents. In any case, only theocrats believe that legalizing gay marriage somehow infringes on religious freedom, as no church will ever be required to recognize gay marriage. But Waggoner seems muddled on just about everything, so I'll leave the poor fool alone. The Democrats already lost nearly all the racists to the Republicans. If bigots and homophobes want to sign on as Republicans, the Democrats will ultimately be better off without them. What do we lose when we lose Waggoner? Nothing worth keeping.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2012-05-31T12:59:25-06:00

ID

167859

Comment

1. I think that elected officials that represent their constituents should not change political parties. If they feel that strongly about an issue, they should resign. 2. What does Democrat or GOP have anything to do with Gay Marriage? Conservative GOP judges just ruled that DOMA is unconstitutional. 3. How do any of those men equate that the President's remarks will *not* preserve families? How does the preservation of family preserve the country for those that are being discriminated against? Also, do any of the men that changed their political affiliation to preserve their family have divorce? Any children that went to rehab? Are they and their families completely above reproach? It saddens me that they can't just be honest. They don't like gay people, and that's okay with me. It's not for everyone, but don't cover that bigotry and homophobia with lies about families, marriage sanctity, and make blanket political statements that are maliciously misleading at worst, and a reach of the imagination at best.

Author

Michael Kennedy

Date

2012-05-31T13:07:23-06:00

ID

167860

Comment

Cute how they included Nancy Pelosi, to make it seem as if there is no racial component in the decision. And how, pray tell, does someone in your party making a statement of opinion automatically necessitate switching parties? Mississippi is looking dumber by the minute...

Author

Lorenzo D. Gayden

Date

2012-05-31T14:53:59-06:00

ID

167861

Comment

The zoo keeper said to the animal, "If you're not coming back, send send us our cage": For the Pseudo-Democrats who switched parties, I say, "If you are leaving the party, send back our money." Most of these former "Democrats" are folks who ran in districts where being a member of the Democratic Party made it possible for them to be elected. It is my hope that the voters will remember what they did and that they are smart enough to know that the reason they switched is not because of what the President said, but, because of who the President IS. OK, you seven new Republicans - Now let's see what you will say about Romney and his family history of polygamy: One man, Many wives. Wasn't it his Grand-Father who left the country to continue this practice? For those who claim "Christain" reasons for leaving the party, are they aware that most Christains do not consider Mormonism a Christ based religion? Lorenzo D. Gayden, I don't know that the entire State of Mississippi is "looking dumber by the minute"; however, I would agree that these seven (7) folks fit your description. Just asking; Just saying.

Author

justjess

Date

2012-05-31T17:55:51-06:00

ID

167865

Comment

Last night on Bishop Crudup's "Issues" show with Representative Flaggs of Vicksburg it was noted that the legislature's redistricting plan targeted 'white Democrats'. Flaggs seemed to be OK with that. The 'white Democratic lawmaker' is a friendless breed. The Republican strategy is to force the remaining white lawmakers into their fold and just court the moderate black lawmaker like Flaggs. You have to wonder if the political party that Governor Winter created with the aid of Aaron Henry, Hodding Carter III, Danny Cupit, et al is dead or was a fantasy. The functioning Democratic of today is just 'a brake' on the conservative agenda not a political organization with universality of ideas and appeal.

Author

Aeroscout

Date

2012-06-01T08:14:18-06:00

ID

167866

Comment

This last election cycle has been very eerie. With the number of white democrats that have switched from the democratic party to the republican party in Mississippi, while elected to a new term, sends out a strange signal as well. With moves like this, considering the states historic past, why didn't anyone take the time to think about how this would look or appeal to people outside of the sate, yet alone inside the state? Additionally, a good majority of citizens seem o.k. with a group of people having that much control over their tax dollars. In the state of Mississippi, all of your officials, minus one, elected to statewide office are Republican. All of your congressman, besides one, are republican. Your state assembly, on both sides, are under republican control - if that happened on a bigger scale, it would have thrown up a red-flag to any red-blooded america. However in Mississippi, its business as usual.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2012-06-01T08:30:01-06:00

ID

167867

Comment

It kills me that some people think that in order to be a Christian, that they have to join the Republican Party. News flash: God and Jesus are not Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, etc! Mississippi is turning as bright red as Utah and Oklahoma. But where is the state Democratic Party to counter this--when they're not trying to out-Republican the Republicans?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2012-06-01T08:39:49-06:00