Up until December 2013, Michael D. Parrish of Malvern, PA was a registered Republican. Parrish's whirlwind conversion from Republican to Democrat has raised eyebrows on both sides of the aisle. While Parrish's ideological talking points appear to be compatible with the general Democratic Party platform, announcing his bid for the District 6 seat a month after switching parties seems a bit premature. Parrish is essentially asking District 6 Democrats to trust his word, that he will effectively represent them in Washington D.C. without a shred of political collateral and a past record of generous support poured into the Republican Party's bloated piggy bank.
Mr. Parrish's past campaign contributions include but are not limited to:
July 2008 - $2,000.00 to John McCain, Candidate for US President
September 2008 - $275.00 to the Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania
October 2008 - $250.00 to Tom Manion, Candidate for US Congress PA-8
May 2010 - $1,000.00 to Tom Corbett, Candidate for PA Governor
June 2011 - $1,000.00 to Mitt Romney, Candidate for US President
September 2012 - $150.00 to Charles Gehret, Candidate for PA Senate District 17
October 2012 - $500.00 to Charles Gehret, Candidate for PA Senate District 17
Parrish's contributions to various Republican PACs add up to over $6,000.00 from 2008 to 2012. With a history of thousands of dollars funneled into the Republican Party machine, Democrats are left to wonder if Parrish is a DINO (Democrat in Name Only). Instead of hastily diving into a run for Congress, Parrish could have donated money to Democratic PACs, raised funds for, and worked to promote proven Democratic candidates, thereby substantiating that his decision to change parties was not done with Machiavellian intent.
However, Mr. Parrish has a strong business-oriented resume, and is currently the CEO of Daleco Resources, a natural resources company based in West Chester, which through its subsidiary, DRI Operating Company, operates at least 3 gas/oil wells in Somerset County, Pennsylvania and in other locations across the country. Prior to Daleco, Mr. Parrish was the CEO of Equisol, Inc., a West Conshohocken company specializing in water and wastewater applications. Parrish's business record is impressive and could be an incredible asset to Pennsylvania Democrats, especially in the fundraising arena.
The Parrish for Congress website states the following about his business prowess:
In 2003, he founded Equisol LLC, an environmental services company, and grew the business into a $10 million company with 100 employees in four years. Mike went on to serve as the Chairman and CEO of Environmental Infrastructure Holdings Corporation where he increased profitability by 115% and improved shareholders equity by over 200% in less than two years.
Despite having no prior political experience, Parrish has earned endorsements and/or fundraising assistance from
Rep. Bob Brady (PA-1), former Speaker of the House and current Minority Leader,
Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip,
Steny Hoyer.
In addition to his business experience, Parrish has an extensive military history and is currently a Colonel in the Army Reserves which not only shows that he values public service, but also affords him an up close and personal perspective on issues that are important to veterans.
Per an interview published January 15, 2014 on Philly.com, Mr. Parrish indicated that he would oppose new restrictions on abortion and is in favor of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are already in the United States. Additionally, despite being a gun owner himself, he told the interviewer that he supports expanded background checks and an assault weapons ban. He also expressed that he respects women's rights and considers himself an "environmentalist" but apparently did not provide further details about either issue. When people inquire about his reasons behind his recent party swap from Republican to Democrat, he vaguely explains that he feels the Republican Party is now too far right leaning and does not reflect his values.
Assuming that Parrish's party change was a sincere response to the current political climate, he needs to somehow demonstrate in the months before the Primary Election on May 20, 2014, that he truly has wholeheartedly chosen, and is dedicated to furthering the Democratic Party agenda and representing his constituents' best interests. If District 6 Dems remain unconvinced that Parrish's vague campaign promises will come to fruition, Dems are likely to support other candidates (like Dr. Manan Trivedi) with clearer, well-documented political views.
Additional Sources:
http://www.fec.gov/...
https://www.campaignfinanceonline.state.pa.us/...
http://www.newsworks.org/...
http://www.sec.gov/...
http://action.mp2014.com/...
http://www.linkedin.com/...
http://www.forbes.com/...
http://lowerprovidence.patch.com/...