[DRB]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15322219/from/RS.1/

Paul Morrison, a career prosecutor who specializes in putting killers behind bars, has the bulletproof résumé and the rugged looks of a law-and-order Republican, which is what he was until last year. That was when he announced he would run for attorney general -- as a Democrat.

He is now running neck-and-neck with Republican Phill Kline, an iconic social conservative who made headlines by seeking the names of abortion-clinic patients and vowing to defend science-teaching standards that challenge Darwinian evolution. What's more, Morrison is raising money faster than Kline and pulling more cash from Republicans than Democrats.

Nor is Morrison alone. In a state that voted nearly 2 to 1 for President Bush in 2004, nine former Republicans will be on the November ballot as Democrats. Among them is Mark Parkinson, a former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, who changed parties to run for lieutenant governor with the popular Democratic governor, Kathleen Sebelius.

Lots of this is backlash against extreme social conservatives that brought so much light upon Kansas in the last two years. The more moderate Republicans are having trouble reconcilling their beliefs with those of their party. Couple that with Iraq and the numerous scandals....

Of course there is a certain amount of political opportunism at work here. Solid candidates that the GOP wasn't interested due to their "radical centrist positions" can easily run as Democrats and be front runners.

Also there was an article somewhere that indicated if the either the Senate or the House go to the Democrats that a number of Republicans would probably end up changing parties. A similar thing happened in 1994.

 

[Westy]

I was setting up a prototype machine last year in a building where one guy is usually the only person in the building. I was forced into listening to conservative talk radio all day. Anyway one of these fools went on for hours about how moderates were just a bunch of wishy washy morons and worse than liberals. Imagine that, when you believe that everyone is either far left or far right you end up pissing off the majority of people who are neither.

 

[MMike]

Same deal going on in Ohio.....big thing on NPR about it yesterday. The current GOP governor has an 11% approval rating

 

[BurlyShirley]

Yeah, I think the Republicans are just goint too far with all the religious crap these days, and people dont want to be aligned with it. All the "Intelligent Design" and other such nonsense...I mean, it ridiculous. All the democrats have to do is say "we're against gay marriage and we support the troops" and they've got it.

 

[Slugman]

Very smart move by the GOP.

Now no matter which party you vote for - you are electing a republican.

 

[ohio]

"nine former Republicans will be on the November ballot as Democrats."
[N8] Good riddance [/N8]