GOP Congressional Candidate Switches Parties, Saying Hate Has No Home in Representation

[babylonsister]

Perhaps a trend in the making?!

GOP Congressional Candidate Switches Parties, Saying Hate Has No Home in Representation
By: Sarah Jones
Friday, November, 1st, 2013, 1:34 pm


If you’re as tired of the Republican Party inciting hatred between family members and neighbors as I am, then this will make your day.

Congressional candidate and Army veteran Jason Thigpen was formerly a Republican, seeking election to the U.S. House in North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District, running against Republican Representative Walter Jones. But Thigpen switched parties yesterday. He is now running as a Democrat.

Thigpen said, “Enough is enough. After discussing it with my wife and family, I’ve decided to run as a Democrat rather than a Republican. I simply cannot stand with a Party where its most extreme element promote hate and division amongst people.”

Mr. Thigpen says his platform won’t change. He’s just divorcing himself from hate. “The government shutdown was simply the straw that broke the camels back. I guess being an American just isn’t good enough anymore and I refuse to be part of an extremist movement in the GOP that only appears to thrive on fear and hate mongering of anyone and everyone who doesn’t walk their line.”

more...

http://www.politicususa.com/2013/11/01/gop-congressional-candidate-switches-parties-hate-home-representation.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, babylonsister.

[Recursion]

2. That is the sine qua non of a "wave" year

incumbents switching parties happened in '94, '06, and '10. That's a good sign.

[MagickMuffin]

3. These people should remain in their party and try to change it

instead of changing parties.

I say this only because they probably aren't going to change their ideologies. If they are growing tired of the hate and fear then they should be brave enough to campaign against it and expose it every chance they get.

It really is a time for them to take a stand against the cancer that has permeated their party. At least perhaps the voters would come to understand the need to dial it back.

Gee, think if they ran on REAL Christian values of "love thy neighbor" instead of hate your "enemy" which the other side isn't really the enemy except in their own minds.

[babylonsister]

4. Isn't that kind of like banging your head against a brick wall?

And once anyone is declared an 'enemy' of the rabid conservatives, they are torpedoed by their party; their ass is grass. So I don't know; maybe this guy will be able to do something constructive with his new party. We can hope.

[MagickMuffin]

14. Most definitely a lot of bloody foreheads and headaches to go around

I suppose there is also a concern about the repub's switching parties just to make things more difficult in our own party.

Perhaps we should work on helping him see the light about his ideology as well. Since a lot of their ideology is partly to blame for their message of hate!

Sending out a SOS

[Hutzpa]

7. Not sure I like this either

people like him should be watched like a hawk so they don't bring their character crap over.

[Jamaal510]

5. BREAKING NEWS ON FOX: "Former Republican smears GOP." nt

[Brother Buzz]

6. So, if he wins reelection, he'll return as a Blue Dog Democrat

I'm not keen on them, but acknowledge they are a necessary evil. Welcome to the 'Big Tent', Buddy, I'll keep an eye on you.

[noiretextatique]

8. he calls himself a conservative democrat

but i was impressed by his critique of republicon policies in his state and in d.c.

[jeff47]

10. He's running for election, not re-election. Another Republican is the incumbent.

And the incumbent is running for reelection.

[Brother Buzz]

11. Ah, I get it now

[jeff47]

9. This story is less than it seems.

It's an R+10 district with an incumbent. Mr. Thigpen was not likely to win the primary against the incumbent.

This is an attempt by Mr. Thigpen to stay in the race past the primary.

[rhett o rick]

12. This is terrible news. "Mr. Thigpen says his platform won’t change." In other words

if he didnt support same sex marriage as a Republican now he wont support it as a DEmocrat. I dont want Republicans in our Party calling themselves Democrats but voting like a Republican. If he wanted to cut SS and Medicare before, he still wants to cut them only now as a Democrat. We already have tooo many DINO's in our party pulling the Party farther to the right.

Plez people, it isnt the letter behind his name that's important, but his principles.

[AlinPA]

13. Agree; the hate is built into any republican, so I'm not believing the guy's motive.