Former Republican legislator files as a Democrat

[DogPoundPup]

Source: ksl.com

He served for years as a Republican legislator, but today former Rep. David Hogue filed for office as a Democrat.

Crossing party lines is not something Hogue takes lightly, but he says he's doing it because, as a moderate Republican, he felt his opinion didn't mean much at the Capitol.

"Why, after 47 years as a Republican, am I filing as a Democrat in the state of Utah?" Hogue says it's a question he's getting a lot. When he answers it, he takes on some powerful people on Capitol Hill: leadership in the House and Senate.

"Leadership in the Republican Party seems to have distanced themselves from the average citizen, and representation seems to be personal driven and personal-agenda driven," Hogue said.

A lapel pin seemed to make the switch official. He even got applause from a small group of fellow Democrats. "We want to see the people of Utah represented by the people who they elect, and not the handful of people who are elected to leadership, and that's really what it's come down to," said Democratic Rep. Carol Spackman Moss.



Read more: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2877559

---

[Horse with no Name]

1. Because he wants to eat from the trough of the majority party

It doesn't take guts to leave a party when it is in the minority...it takes guts to leave it when it is the majority.
They were the same despicable party back then that they are now...yet all of the sudden, he has developed a conscience.
We have a Lieberman already. I guess we will get some more of these...who will reap the rewards of the majority while voting conservative.
How about running a REAL Democrat against this guy?

[angstlessk]

4. Jim Jeffords was a REAL hero when he switched parties

he could have just rode the wave, but he was very principled!

[bean fidhleir]

8. Exactly! Opportunism at its "finest"

He, like Lieberman and QUITE A FEW others, needs to be given the shove out the door. Preferably from 1000 feet up.

[AX10]

9. Jim Jeffords is the couragous one.

[IronLionZion]

11. Republicans have overwhelming super-majorities in the Utah legislature. nt

[brooklynite]

2. I'm assuming this is a State Legislator?

[Warpy]

3. Were he in any state but Utah

this would not be news. However, Utah is finally starting to break the stranglehold the GOP has had on that state since it's been a state.

Rocky Anderson, SLC's mayor, is one of the Democrats on the left that I'd like to see go national. If this guy shakes all the dogma he's been fed all these years, maybe he'll be the same.

It takes a tremendous amount for Democrats to get elected in much of the west. The party needs to get its head out of its arse and start looking closely at how Anderson in Utah and Schweitzer in Montana did it.

Nuance and business as usual just don't sell.

[aasleka]

5. But,,, but,,, Utah dosn't count!!! /sarcasm off

[tanyev]

6. Good luck with that, I guess.

[Jennicut]

7. I have no problem with Repubs becoming Dems

I live in CT and Lieberman went the opposite direction and is really considered a Repub here. My parents are very conservative and they like Lieberman! Joe should have just gone all the way and become an official Rethug but he wanted to be in the "majority" when it came to heading committees, etc. Independent my ass. Now he supports McCain. What a joke.

[Supersedeas]

10. the elitist in the Restank Party have no idea what integrity and accountability are!