Today, at 10:00 a.m. Texas Legislator Kirk England (D) nee (R) switched parties to become a Democrat. Yes, even in Texas the Republicans are leaving the sinking USS Wingnut.
England represents District 106, Grand Praire, (just west of Dallas, east of Fort Worth). He is a freshmen legislator who won election over a Democrat by only 200 votes.
What does a party switch mean? In this case, it means that the current republican leadership have kept their elected members from representing their districts, that the state-wide republican agenda is too conservative, and that republicans care more about catering to wingnuts than getting kids health care. AND it means that that kind of leadership is slowly killing the republican party. Even in Texas.
Dallas Morning News Article (May be behind a fire wall).
More below the jump.
During the last legislative session, our late republican/newest democratic representative had the best score among republicans on environmental issues-better than many democrats. And he had the highest score among republicans on Chris Bell's progressive score card-again, better than some democrats. Is he going to be a progressive dem? Probably not. But we are now one Dem closer to regaining control of the Texas House in the next cycle, and that would, hopefully, bring a little sanity back to this state.
Burnt Orange Report story with linkage to England's announcement.
Wish us luck.