"First-term Rep. Rodney Alexander, D-Quitman, is "seriously considering" leaving the Democratic Party because he says the party's likely presidential candidate is too liberal, and that he might be able to better represent his constituents as a Republican.
Alexander said Thursday that he has talked with Republican leaders about a possible switch and wants to make up his mind quickly, perhaps this weekend.
The major argument for staying put, he said, is that some leading Democrats, including Sen. John Breaux, worked hard to help him gain his narrow upset victory in 2002 over Republican Lee Fletcher.
"I'd be letting some people down who worked very hard for me and I would hate to let anybody down," Alexander said.
But he said a major reason he is thinking about making the move now is that the likely Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, is too liberal for him and his constituents. He previously said he is backing President Bush, who in 2000 won the 4th Congressional District by 57 percent to 40 percent over Democrat Al Gore.
"I'm afraid that is a factor because I'm not particularly happy with the candidate of the Democratic Party and I've already said that I won't endorse him and that I didn't think his views are consistent with my own, or my congressional district," Alexander said."
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