What was once an 11 month campaign has been reduced to 5 months. In politics, 5 months is the blink of an eye.

“In the 24 hours after Parker Griffith decided to run in the Republican Primary, Mo Brooks’ campaign received $11,000+ in unsolicited contributions, enabling us to break thru the $200,000 cash-in-the-bank mark!

“We urge everyone who believes that America needs proven, dependable, conservative leadership to visit our web site at MoBrooksForCongress.Com and sign up as a volunteer or make a contribution to “Mo Brooks For Congress” and mail it to 7610 Foxfire Drive, Huntsville, AL 35802.

“Mo Brooks has competed in three GOP primaries, winning them all by an average margin of 33 percentage points among 5th Congressional District voters!

“We are pleased Parker Griffith has switched parties to face us in the Republican Primary, where GOP voters will determine our fate.

“Mo Brooks has competed in five general elections with an average supporting vote of 66%. We led the GOP ticket four of five general elections, with the fifth time being 1-2% behind our ticket-leading presidential candidate.

“We look forward to facing whomever the Democrats offer in the general election as their candidate to continue to vote to empower House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“I know it’s long, but for those of you who want to best understand the current status of the 5th Congressional election, please read the following news articles excerpts.

POLITICAL EXPERTS: MO BROOKS NEW FRONT-RUNNER!

· Athens State political science professor Jess Brown (Florence Times Daily, 12/23/09) “Griffith likely won’t survive the primary.” “I honestly think, of the three options he had – remain a Democrat or run as a Republican or independant – this was the worst one,” Brown said. “This has to be based on political fear. It must be motivated by the thought he couldn’t win as a Democrat. I don’t see Republican activists opening up their arms. He may get courteous lip service, but I don’t think he can pull this off.”

· Morgan County Democratic Chairman Rex Cheatham (Decatur Daily, 12/24/09): Cheatham “predicted Griffith’s switch will be his downfall in the 2010 election. ‘My prediction is Parker Griffith will lose the Republican nomination to Mo Brooks.’ . . . ‘Those voting in the Republican primary are more hardcore Republicans.’”

· Madison County Democrat Party Chairman Doug Dermody (Huntsville Times, 12/24/09) predicted Mo Brooks will win the GOP Primary: “We will have a strong (Democrat) candidate to run against Mo Brooks in November.”

· WVNN’S Dale Jackson: “Any GOP organization that does not repudiate (Griffith) immediately will lose my support. You can not imply a guy a murderer and a man of no integrity and then open your arms. With Mo Brooks, the front runner . . . staking out solid conservative positions I don’t see how a guy like Parker Griffith, who voted for Pelosi as Speaker and with her a majority of the time, has a prayer in a GOP primary in 2010. This makes Griffith a dead man walking.”

· Mark McDaniel, NASA Advisory Council (Huntsville Times, 12/23/09): “A party swap does nothing to help the 5th Congressional District protect NASA and Army jobs and bring road money home. … I wouldn’t put Griffith as the front-runner in the Republican primary next year. He’s burned his ships and bridges with this one. … (Griffith’s party switch) really does put North Alabama at a disadvantage.

· Erick Erickson, RedState.com: “Griffith was an extremely endangered Democrat. We should now hope (he is) an extremely endangered Republican in a primary. We will not fix the GOP’s problems if we keep allowing people who are not one of us to suddenly switch the letter next to their name and magically become one of us. Being a Republican should be about more than just the letter next to a person’s name. We can improve that seat.”

HUNTSVILLE TEA PARTY: ANYBODY BUT GRIFFITH

Huntsville Tea Party News Release excerpts (12/23/09):

“We believe Griffith made this choice in an act of desperation because he is afraid of losing the 2010 election.

“Unfortunately for Parker Griffith, we have high standards for our next congressman, and choice excerpts from his voting record do not satisfy us.”

“We do not consider him a constitutional conservative, . . . or even a conservative at all.”

“(W)e do not trust (Griffith) and we do not support him as our next congressman.”

GOP LEADERS: GRIFFITH DEATH BED CONVERSION UNWELCOME!

· Alabama State Treasurer (and gubernatorial candidate) Kay Ivey in TPMDC.Com & Huntsville Times, 12/24/09: “State Treasurer Kay Ivey . . . is openly doubting Griffith’s sincerity: ‘I can’t help but regard this ‘Road to Damascus’ conversion of Parker Griffith’s as solely a ploy to cling to his seat in 2010. We’re all well-aware of the increasingly negative poll results for Democrats in Alabama and around the nation.’” “Political self-preservation isn’t a virtue. In fact, political expediency is an insult to every grassroots activist who commits untold hours in devotion to getting candidates elected.”

· Madison County Republican Party Director of Organization Jerry Gay (Decatur Daily, 12/24/09): “Heck No, we didn’t court him. (Griffith) won’t be endorsed by us.”

· “5th Congressional District Republican Committee Hugh McInnish, a member of the, is asking the state committee to consider barring Griffith from qualifying to run as a Republican in the June primary.” Huntsville Times, 12/24/09.

GRIFFITH: NOW MOST LIBERAL REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS!

· Jay Newton-Small, TIME Magazine: “Griffith now must defend the title ‘most liberal Republican in Congress’ in an age when Republicans are eating their own. If ever a RINO existed, Griffith comes closest to the definition and in switching (Griffith) may have just jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.”

· Madison County Democrat Commissioner Bob Harrison: “(Griffith) rode in on the coattails of Barack Obama. Griffith had campaigned on liberal views that are not likely to win favor with Republican voters. In fact, (Griffith) scared me at times, how liberal he was.” Huntsville Times, 12/24/09

GRIFFITH’S SWITCH ABOUT HIMSELF – HURTS 5th DISTRICT

· Kevin Wendt, Huntsville Times Editorial (12/23/09): “His party switch may (leave) independent-leaning citizens left wondering just what Parker Griffith stands for. Griffith said that ‘I now believe that I have to go further and stand with a party that is more in tune with my beliefs and my convictions.’ If Griffith is so independent, why not disavow both parties and run as an independent? Now that’s conviction. The reason he won’t is simple, of course: This is about self-preservation, not conviction.” “With this move, Griffith risks hurting voters in North Alabama, and the proof, we fear, will be in seeing the weekly stream of announcements of funding to programs in North Alabama turn into trickle.”

Share your ideas and expertise on this topic