Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, is switching parties to become a Republican, Fox News learned Tuesday. Griffith is expected to make a formal announcement in an afternoon press conference.
Griffith, a retired oncologist and businessman, succeeded former Democratic Rep. Bud Cramer, who retired earlier this year, in a hard-fought contest for the northern Alabama seat.
Republicans thought that district would be hard for Democrats to hold without Cramer on the ballot, but Griffith defeated Republican Wayne Parker by 4 points — 52-48 percent — even though Republican presidential nominee John McCain won every county in the district. Former President George W. Bush won the district by double digits in both of his races.
In Congress, Griffith joined the Blue Dogs, the coalition of moderate and conservative Democrats in the House. He voted against the health care reform bill in November.
Earlier this year, Sen. Arlen Specter moved from the Republican Party to the majority Democratic Party but Griffith’s party switch from the majority to the minority party is rare.
Florida Rep. Andy Ireland was elected to the House in 1980 as a Democrat when that party held control. But in 1984, Ireland switched to join the GOP and thus serve in the minority. He continued to serve until 1993, when he did not seek re-election to the House. In 1994, Rep. Michael Forbes of New York was elected as a Republican but switched to the minority Democrats in 1999. He did not receive the Democratic nomination in 2000 and lost the seat.
Griffith’s thinking may not be a total surprise, however. In August, he told voters at a town hall meeting at the University of North Alabama that if given the chance he would not vote again for Nancy Pelosi as House speaker. “I would not vote for her. Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together,” he said.
Republicans in the Alabama delegation met with Griffith the middle of last week and asked him to switch and he agreed. Alabama’s two U.S. senators, as well as Rep. Robert Aderholt, whose district borders Griffith’s, were instrumental in helping Griffith change his mind. Senior Sen. Richard Shelby is himself a former Democrat who switched parties while in office.
Rep. Mike Rogers, another Alabama Republican, called the switch “a great development,” and likened it to the party switch by Louisiana Rep. Rodney Alexander, who moved from the Democrats to the GOP about six years ago. “He just could not stomach what the Democrats are doing any longer,” Rogers said of Griffith’s move.
Griffith’s departure means the Democrats will still hold an advantage of 257 seats to the GOP’s 178. But the Democratic majority is expected to shrink by at least two seats again in January. Reps. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., and Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, are expected to resign.
