Post-Election Party Switching

After the 1994 Elections, when the Republicans took control of Congress, a large number of Democrats left their party and became Republicans. In Congress, most of those party switchers were from the south, such as Senators Richard Shelby of Alabama, Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado and Congressmen Greg Laughlin of Texas, Jimmy Hayes and Billy Tauzin of Louisiana, Mike Parker of Mississippi and Nathan Deal of Georgia.

Now that the Democrats have taken over Congress, will we see an exodus from the Republicans? Possibly; One of the first rumored party switchers is not from a Democratic area, raher the south of all places, it's Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina.

The Hill reports Jones, who is strongly opposed to the Iraq War and joined the Democrats in opposing the troops surge, is being courted to become a Democrat. Jones, who represents a district in North Carolina that includes the Outer Banks, is the son of a former Democratic Representative from his state and used to be a Democrat before becoming a Republican in 1994.

Jones says he'll stay in the Republican Caucus, even though he's been whipped by the GOP leadership for this opposition to the war. Why is he planning on staying?

"I think at the present time, because of the pro- life issue primarily, I am where I need to be."

Abortion reigns above all else to some people, a sad truth.