Mike Hubbard: Admiration comes from Democrats switching parties

When the Opelika-Auburn News asked me to write a column detailing what I admire about the Alabama Democratic Party, I must admit that I was somewhat taken aback.

I assure you, no one has ever asked me that question before in my role as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

There are certainly individual Democrats I admire. Harry Truman, a great common sense statesman who made tough decisions, is one of my favorite national politicians.

And there are many Alabama Democrats I personally admire and, even sometimes agree with politically.

But the answer to what I admire about the Alabama Democratic Party did not come easily. After much thought and deep soul-searching, however, I have come up with an honest and suitable response.

I admire the fact that so many members of the Alabama Democratic Party have had the good sense to switch and change their allegiance to the Alabama Republican Party.

Since the early 1990s, roughly 140 Democratic officeholders across the state have officially switched parties and run for office under the Republican banner.

Conversely, Alabama Republicans switching to the Democratic banner are as rare as a Bigfoot sighting.

The most recent high-profile Democrat welcomed into the Republican fold is State Sen. Jimmy Holley, an eight-term legislator from Alabama’s Wiregrass region.

Like many before him, Holley explained his decision by noting he felt more at home with the beliefs and values of the Republican Party than the far-left, liberal ideas that have come to dominate the Democratic Party on both the state and national levels.

Long-serving U.S. Senator Richard Shelby gave a similar reason in 1995 when he could no longer stomach the tax-raising policies of the Clinton administration and Congressional Democrats and jumped the aisle.

Since making the change, he has been a staunch supporter of the Bush tax cuts, introduced legislation to statutorily limit federal spending and sponsored an immigration moratorium bill, all of which his former Democratic colleagues opposed.

Former Alabama Secretary of State Jim Bennett switched after Democrats pressured him to certify Sonny Hornsby as the winner over Republican Perry Hooper, Sr. in the 1994 Chief Justice campaign. This pressure came despite the fact that several illegal and unwitnessed absentee ballots had been cast in the race.

Bennett’s principled refusal resulted in a federal court ruling Hooper as the winner and led the secretary to join the GOP shortly thereafter. Party switches have not been limited to the state and national levels.

Dozens of county commissioners, sheriffs, judges, district attorneys and others on the local level have also seen the Democrats move to the far left and changed their party allegiances. But make no mistake, Republicans are excellent at spotting candidates who change parties because of convictions and those who change parties because of convenience.

We have had RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) attempting to run in our primaries only to be driven from the flock.

One example occurred last year a State School Board race. Stephanie Bell, a well-known and well-respected conservative, was opposed in the GOP Primary by a candidate funded largely by political action committees tied closely to the Alabama Democratic Party and the state teachers’ labor union, led by Democratic Party vice-chairs Paul Hubbert and Joe Reed.

Republican primary voters easily saw through this poor attempt at political camouflage and re-nominated Bell by a landslide. Republican School Board member Randy McKinney defeated a primary opponent with similar funding, as well, despite being outspent by a 7–1 margin.

With Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and other Washington Democrats kicking the country to the left despite grassroots protests and Alabama Democrats seeming to follow their lead, the 2010 cycle I shaping up to be a good one for the Republican Party — one that I believe will lead to future party changes, as well.

As long as Alabama Democrats continue to drive conservatives from their herd and help build our Republican ranks, I will continue to admire their party.

Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) represents House District 79 in the Alabama House of Representatives and is the House Minority Leader. He is Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.