(PA State Treasurer) Hafer switches to Democratic Party

After months of speculation that she would switch her party affiliation from Republican to Democrat, state Treasurer Barbara Hafer told The Associated Press today that she had officially changed her registration.

Hafer, who is in her second term as treasurer and previously served two terms as auditor general between 1988 and 1996, said she had completed the paperwork for making the switch and had it filed yesterday.

She said she made the switch simply because she felt her progressive stance on social issues, such as her support of abortion rights, no longer fit with the Republican Party.

http://www.postgazette.com/breaking/20031230haferp6.asp

one more turns away from the dark side :toast:

Welcome, Barbara Hafer!

Now let's do what we can to un-seat Arlen Specter, too.

:bounce:

she's a good one to have on our side

I hope that Barbara Hafer runs for Senate against Santorum in 2006. I think that she would win that race. She would probably be are best candidate because she could appeal to independents. I understand that Gov. Rendell is encouraging her to run.

No suprise, but still good news. Welcome to the Party, Hafer...it's a good one. :hi: :toast:

:)

out of the GOP and eventually into the Democratic Party.

In sequence they were:
1. James Watt trashing the environment under Reagan
2. Reagan's GOP becoming virulently anti-choice (very important)
3. Christian fundamentalists taking over the GOP in Ohio - they nearly took over the state school board in the late 1980's.

So, first I went "Independent", I guess I just couldn't become a "Democrat" in one step. After voting for Democrats for years I finally realized that I was one at heart so I might as well be one officially.

I'm from Iowa and the Republicans where I grew up were small business supporters, somewhat conservative but not too much, and leaned to the progressive side on many issues. Now, the only ones who fit that profile are Democrats. The Republicans have all become right-wing Rick Santorum or Ann Coulter types.

The alternative was Bob Casey. (ugh)

but I was verrry tempted to vote for Hafer, largely because she's pro-choice and Casey was not (even though he was a Dem).

Who, in spite of spending 5 months of the year in Yellowstone, and now 5 months more in Petrified Forest, still has his home of record (and therefore votes) in Pennsylvania.

I don't live in Pennsylvania, but I cheer the good news.

We also recently had a state rep in Maine change from the GOP to Democrats-hope it continues.

Hope you get a better reception than Wes Clark! ;)

We're glad to have you. Now take on and beat that jerk Sanctimonium will you?

She was once a Dem, then switched to Repub, ran as a Repub for gov and other positions, and now that we have a Dem gov, she is back in the Dem camp.

I smell a rat. To me she looks much more like a political opportunist than a true progressive.

I think the party switching will not go over well with voters, and she could end up being a wasted nominee for a senate run.

And she is more liberal than many PA Democrats.