Beat 1 Marion County Supervisor Randy Dyess
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
Three Marion County elected officials announced this morning that they have switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
Those who joined the GOP are Beat 1 Marion County Supervisor Randy Dyess, Justice Court Judge Gwen Broom and Election Commissioner Charles F. Broome.
Dyess told the Marion County Informer this morning that, “I don’t feel like I left the party; I feel like it left me,” referring to recent national issues he disagrees with including health care and cap-and-trade. “I just can’t support some of the national policies,” Dyess said.
He said his decision to switch parties is not solely based on President Obama but more so on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the “party as whole.”
He noted that taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill for the programs advocated by the Democrats. “I don’t like the direction the country is going in,” said Dyess. “Somebody’s got to pay for these projects.”
Despite his party shift, Dyess said, “I’m the same person.” He added that the majority of the people he has spoken with feel the same way he does about the Democratic Party.
He realizes that the Democratic Party may feel like he has “betrayed” them but he could no longer support the agenda. Dyess is up for re-election in 2011 and said his Beat 1 is probably the most conservative district in the county. He noted that he is now the only Republican on the Marion County Board of Supervisors.
Wonder if Dyess realizes he’s supposed to be representing not the national party, but the local people. I think all of the public officials who made the switch are selfish.
He may not be representing the national party, however, some people did vote strictly on the party line, whether it be repub or democrap.This should be cause for special elections and all three of them should be stripped of their offices and fined.
Amen Grasshopper. I couldn’t agree more.
They will find out election year how it will effect them.
YOU DONE GOOD RANDY!!!!!!!!!!
What does it matter? They will still perform the same old way that they always have.
Mighty funny these elected officials are switching parties at a time when there is a backlash going on against Democratic candidates nationwide. Could these moves be characterized as “playing politics”?
yes, Randy I agree….the democratic party has left many of us behind. I cannot support their new agenda either. maybe a mass exodus will make the party understand that they have put themselves out on a limb and they need to re-align its values and thinking back to what the majority of the party’s members want/needs
This will be a common practice over the next year…. More and more D’s will switch to the GOP because the votes will move from the D primary to the GOP primary, seeing as that is where most of the activity in the statewide races will be.
The great Ronald Reagan started out as a Democrat and changed to the Republican party. He, in my opinion, was the BEST President this Country has ever had!!! The Obama administration is going to lead to many people changing their affiliation. This adm is, in my opinion, determined to ruin this Country and why anyone would want to be a part of it is a mystery to me!!!
Just a point to ponder:
If every person seeking a public office is a Republican, wonder what that does for a person’s chances of being elected?
If you switched from one party to the other, then you will have to fight for the majority vote in order to pass go in that Primary. Right? If 4 Republicans seek the same office, they each only have maybe a 1:4 chance of winning in the Republican Primary?
If you are the lucky one to win the majority of Republican support, then you must still move on to the Big Show and face candidates from the other groups: Democrats, Independents, etc. Right?
Just seems that some people are not TRUE anything and will try whatever they can to get elected OR re-elected! A person that stands for nothing will fall for everything.
Party politics has done so much to hurt this country as it distracts from the ultimate purpose of our government, being to represent the “best” interest, not special interest, of the people as a whole. Greedy self-serving exclusive closed door power politics. The PEOPLE have fallen right in line with it. Even stating to me they would vote for satan if he were the party nominee against the other party, but maybe the people are just now finally waking up. I’ve voted on both sides based on the views and character of the person, but for some time now it seems I vote more against the candidate I disagree with most based on the lack of any favorable qualified candidate of character. Its time for new blood that stands on their own two feet as the “right person” for the job, demanding accountability, not the party line.
Example: Do you really know what your eating (until first bite) if you can’t look past the brand name on the wrapper? Or do you take a closer look at the contents of each container to put a knowingly tasty diverse meal together?