Another R who woke up to today's reality ~ ~ Sooz

North Carolina Republican switches party affiliation: ‘I guess being American just isn’t good enough’ for the GOP anymore
By Scott Kaufman
Friday, November 1, 2013 13:51 EDT

Yesterday, a North Carolina Republican congressional candidate switched his party affiliation to Democrat, saying that he “refuse[s] 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.”

In a statement posted on his website, Jason Thigpen criticized the establishment candidate, Walter Jones, saying “[t]he GOP leadership has such little regard and faith in the more than 1 Million people whom live in NC’s 3rd Congressional District that they don’t believe even one of us are good enough to represent OUR District. So they sent a lobbyist who’s lived in Washington, D.C. for the last 15 or more years. What an insult.”

Earlier this year, Thigpen attacked the strict new North Carolina voting law, writing that “[y]ou can paint a turd and sell it as art, but it’s still a turd.”

Thigpen is a six-year Army veteran and, according to his website, a recipient of the Purple Heart. “I didn’t go to war to defend the liberties and freedoms of one party, race, sex, or one income class of Americans,” he writes of the Republican attempt to suppress the vote.

“So, to come home from serving our country and see North Carolina legislators using their super-majority status to gerrymander districts and pass a law to deliberately suppress and oppress the voting rights of Democrats but more specifically minorities and college students, is absolutely deplorable.”

Thigpen is challenging Walter Jones in the 3rd Congressional District. Jones, a Republican, is also facing a far-right challenger with Tea Party affiliations.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/01/north-carolina-republican-switches-party-affiliation-i-guess-being-american-just-isnt-good-enough-for-the-gop-anymore/

I do wonder if he's doing this in order to win and not because he's had any change of heart.

That being said, if he is sincere, I wish he would stay with the GOP and try to change it. Work with others who feel the same. We need two strong parties, but we don't need either to be as extreme as the GOP/Tparty has become. The extremists need to be tempered in both parties. Keeping a balance with two parties is a good thing.

I do not want to "silence" anyone, but I do want a government composed of two parties that both want what is best for everyone and are willing to work together toward that goal. The extremists are bullies who only want what is best according to their narrow beliefs/views, damn everyone else.

I doubt that he's faking it. If he was talking some tax or economic position there might be room for skepticism but he's picked some close to the heart Republican issues and been pretty blunt on calling them out. With money issues you can always say "oh, the situation was much worse than I thought" or "we can't afford it right now but maybe later". But you can't take political issues like he has and then back up and expect anyone to buy it. "Just foolin'" isn't going to get him back into the Republicans good graces.

Associated Press - Friday, November 1, 2013

GOP candidate for Congress switches parties to Dem



By MICHAEL BIESECKER



RALEIGH -- An Iraq War veteran campaigning for Congress in eastern North Carolina against U.S. Rep. Walter Jones has changed his party registration from Republican to Democrat, saying the tea party has made the GOP too extreme.

In a statement on his website Thursday, former U.S. Army Sgt. Jason R. Thigpen said the recent federal government shutdown triggered his switch.

"I simply cannot stand with a party where its most extreme element promote hate and division amongst people," said Thigpen, 36. "Nothing about my platform has, nor will it change. The government shutdown was simply the straw that broke the camel's 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."

Such a switch is not unprecedented. Third District incumbent Jones pulled off the reverse move in 1994, becoming a Republican after losing a Democratic primary two years earlier.

During his years in office, Jones has rankled the conservative wing of his party on issues that include his opposition to the war in Iraq after initially supporting the 2003 invasion. Jones has typically voted with his party hardliners on fiscal issues, however. Last month, he voted against the measure to reopen the federal government on the grounds that the legislation didn't defund the Affordable Care Act.

Jones' campaign declined to comment Friday about Thigpen's party switch.

Also in the race is Taylor Griffin, a former aide to President George W. Bush who has worked as a GOP strategist in Washington. Griffin announced last month he would return to his native North Carolina to challenge Jones in the Republican primary.

Thigpen, who was awarded a Purple Heart while serving a combat tour in Iraq, helped found a group that advocates for veterans who go back to college. He lives in Holly Ridge with his wife and four children.

Thigpen said he wouldn't change any of his policy positions after changing his affiliation, including stanch support for gun rights. While still a Republican earlier this year, he called out the party's leaders for a bill making sweeping changes to the state's voting laws, saying the measure was more about partisan gain than preventing voter fraud.

On Thursday, Thigpen said the gridlock in Congress fueled by the GOP's lockstep opposition to compromise is harming the country.

"Regardless of Party affiliation, we should be able to agree and agree to disagree on issues, and still go out for coffee or dinner afterwards," he said. "To think anyone can despise, loath, insult, and threaten another American simply because of their Party affiliation is almost depressing."

Thigpen said he wouldn't change any of his policy positions after changing his affiliation

Like I said, DINO.