New Republican Representative and Senator
This afternoon, the GOP welcomed two Democratic members of the state legislature to the Republican side. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven and Rep. Bobby Shows of Ellisville were introduced as Republicans during a press conference this afternoon at the Republican Party headquarters in Jackson.
These two members mark the first to change parties on the legislative side in Mississippi since the midterms, a trend that has been ongoing especially in the South since November. (Public Service Commissioner Lynn Posey changed parties earlier this month). Also changing parties is Simpson County Superintendent of Education Joe Welch highlighting another trend of county officials becoming Republicans.
Just a couple of notes on the newest Republicans:
- Shows and Hyde-Smith both won re-election pretty comfortably in the 2007 general election. Shows, in fact, didn’t even face a GOP challenger. They did also face a Democratic opponent in the primary, but (obviously) they both won their primary.
- Hyde-Smith is a rumored candidate for the open Agriculture Commissioner position. In fact, she has stated that she has interest in the job and that would make sense considering she’s been chairman of the Agriculture Committee since 2002 and she, herself, is a cattleman. At least one well known Republican- Rep. Dannie Reed of Ackerman with strong ties with the extension agency- is in the race. (And I wouldn’t expect him to be the last). This could potentially set up another very interesting GOP primary. I have been told no formal announcement on Hyde-Smith’s plans were made today.
- Shows voted for Jeff Smith to be Speaker in 2008, as have all other Democrats in the House who have changed parties since that vote. I believe that total number of House switchers is now 4; and assuming Republicans hold Steven Palazzo’s seat in the January 11 special election, the GOP will have 51 seats in the 122 member House.
- Are these the last switchers before the 2011 election? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Jamie Franks must be sucking on Nitro Quik by the handfull,
and the noose tightens on Beef Plant Billy.
Welcome to the conservative party! Glad to have them and any other Democrats who can’t accept the party of Obama, Pelosi and Reid join the good team.
I remember a time when you couldn’t be a Republican in Mississippi, and I believe the joke was something like you could fit the MS GOP in a phone booth. All of my family was Democrats and voting Democrat was just what you did out of habbit. Not any more.
And Brad White deserves a ton of credit for his work. He’s does a lot of behind the scene stuff and doesn’t get the glory but just an outstanding leader; contrast that with Jamie Franks and the Dems.
Is the MS Senate now 26-26? Does this mean the GOP controls the Senate as the Lt. Gov is GOP?
I believe it is 26-26 now. But Bryant has had power to appoint committee’s from day one and basically control the legislation. It’s not like there was a Democratic Majority Leader who is now Minority Leader and vice-versa.
Going down the list of Representatives in the Mississippi House I count 7 I would consider DINO’s. Some voted for McCoy last time but have regretted it. If we say all 7 would support a conservative for Speaker then the R’s only have to replace 4 liberal D’s to get to the 62 needed to elect a conservative/R Speaker. If we believe Jeff Smith, and I have no reason to not believe him, there are 14 D’s who say they will vote for a conservative Speaker. Smith specifically excluded McCoy and Rep. Bobby Moak from consideration as a “conservative.” My guess is that my 7 are included in Smith’s 14. I seriously doubt that McCoy’s redistricting plan will go through and redistricting will end up in court, so the R’s have to win all their incumbent seats and keep those districts where their incumbents are not running for re-election. If they can pick up some of those liberal D seats (and they should be able to do that since there are several of those districts that voted for Barbour in both 2003 and 2007) then the McCoy team is toast. But there are a lot of “ifs” in this and the election is many months away.
Isn’t politics fun?
Here’s the list of Smith’s Democratic supporters from 08:
Bondurant- now a Republican
Bounds- now a Republican
Espy- can’t change parties
Gadd
Johnson- can’t change parties
Nicholson- now a Republican
Nowell- can’t change parties
Parker
Patterson
Margaret Rogers
Shows- now a Republican
Jeff Smith
Stevens- can’t change parties
Of the 13, 4 are now R’s, 4 can’t change because of the high black %/ Democrat tilt of their district. Who else do you consider DINOs?
You better get this Budget setteled. You will not get my vote next election if we do not get this budget done:::::::
Is this an inside joke I’m not aware of?