Rick Perry was once a democrat!

[RobertPlant]

I never knew that. I found that out on wikipedia. He wasn't a republican until he was 40. I think thats a shame because it seems that you will find more people like Rick Perry, Ralph Hall, Richard Shelby, Strom Thurmond who went from D to R then people like Arlen Spector who went from R to D.

[Vogon_Glory]

1. We Knew That, But Also

Many of us older (i.e. over 30 years-old) Texas Democrats knew that Rick Perry was once a Democrat. We also knew that he was a political right-wing opportunist who joined many of his fellow right-wingers in bolting over to the Texas Republican Party back in the 1980's.

Ever hear of the saying "That was then, this is now"? Well, if you haven't, you have now.

It is now 2010 AD. Perry has been a Repug for over 20 years. I don't hold with the doctrine of "Once a Democrat, always a Democrat." Rick Perry is a reactionary Republican and it would be my pleasure to see the party that gave him his start, the party Perry then betrayed, throw him out on his ear this November.

:dem:

[sonias]

2. Dixiecrat

Perry and Phil Gramm were both essentially dixiecrats. The whole south used to be Democratic but it was that southern republican brand of Democrat not the Democratic party we know today. Today's Tea Party is a lot like the dixiecrats - they want to go back to a time where they were more comfortable i.e. they were at the top of the food chain. They especially hate equal rights.

The southern strategy is based on the republican party peeling away white conservative voters in the South. Those would be people just like Perry and Gramm.

When LBJ signed in the civil rights laws in 1964, that was the cue for the republican rats to flee the Democratic party and run to the party that embraced racism - the Republican party.

It was a complete switch in the South.

Ricky was just a little slow to move to his true party. Probably has to do with where he was first elected. People still kept voting for the party they knew and he knew he could be elected as a Democrat. When the tide finally turned in his district he switched to his true party.

[RobertPlant]

3. remember Kent Hance, the guy Bush lost to for a bid in congress?

he switched to a rethug too. That race might as well have been a GOP primary. Also, the governor who was riding in the car with JFK when he got shot, also ditched the dems. I heard in the state house that the Rs only have a 77-73 majority so at least that is within striking distance.

[sonias]

4. Ah yes John Connaly - exactly the same kind of rat

We are constantly making progress in the Texas House. Now if he can just keep those damn Rs from gerrymandering the whole state again in the redistricting battle! :grr: