Ex-Kansas GOP Chair Switches Affiliation (1 Viewer)

[hipsterdufus]

Wow, they're even jumping ship in Kansas. Who woulda thunk.
:2party:

Ex-Kansas GOP Chair Switches Affiliation


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May 30, 4:14 PM (ET)

By JOHN MILBURN

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party jumped ship in a big way Tuesday, switching his affiliation to Democrat amid speculation that he would become Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' running mate.

Johnson County Elections Commissioner Brian Newby confirmed that Mark Parkinson, the state GOP chairman from 1999 to 2003, came to the office and switched his party affiliation shortly before noon.

Parkinson's name has been widely circulated as Sebelius' choice for a running mate as the Democratic governor seeks a second term. Current Lt. Gov. John Moore - another former Republican - is retiring when his term expires in early 2007.

Sebelius spokeswoman, Nicole Corcoran, would not comment about Parkinson, but said an announcement of the governor's choice of running mates was scheduled Wednesday not far from Parkinson's home in Olathe, a Kansas City suburb.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060530/D8HUAFSO0.html

 

[Little-Acorn]

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A rare example of a rat swimming toward a sinking ship.

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[hipsterdufus]

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A rare example of a rat swimming toward a sinking ship.

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Good one! :roll:

 

[Pen]

Republican House Speaker Doug Mays said he was disgusted by Parkinson's lack of loyalty to the party that made him chairman, but he isn't surprised by the rift.

The Republican Party, which has dominated Kansas politics since statehood, has shifted to the right in recent years and it inevitably will shift back to the left, he said. Instead of defecting to challenge one another, though, Republicans need to find common ground, he said.

Parkinson wasn't the only one, and there may be others in the future if Kansas Republicans can't find common ground.