The outlook for the 2010 elections just grew dimmer for Democrats, with the abrupt announcement Tuesday that Rep. Parker Griffith, an Alabama freshman, was jumping to the Republican Party.
While Griffith’s departure from the now 257-member Democratic Caucus will have almost no impact on the balance of power in the House, his party switch highlighted the growing unease among the Democratic Party’s most vulnerable members about the party’s ambitious national agenda and its role in contributing to the deteriorating political environment in which they must run for reelection.
Publicly, congressional Democrats mostly remained silent, a reflection of the unexpected timing —Griffith blindsided House leadership with the news and had even attended Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s pre-recess holiday party — and a desire to downplay the significance of his exit.
In the only statement issued by a top Democrat, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen simply asked for the party’s money back after devoting considerable resources to his 2008 election and reelection campaign.
"We were committed to helping Mr. Griffith deliver for his constituents and successfully helped Mr. Griffith fend off the personal attacks against him from the far right,” said Van Hollen in a statement. “Mr. Griffith, failing to honor our commitment to him, has a duty and responsibility to return to Democratic Members and the DCCC the financial resources that were invested in him. His constituents will hold him accountable for failing to keep his commitments.”
A Griffith spokesman confirmed to POLITICO on Tuesday that DCCC money would be returned.
During last year’s election, the DCCC poured more than $1 million into Alabama’s 5th Congressional District in an effort to fend off attacks on Griffith from the National Republican Congressional Committee and other conservative groups. Pelosi herself recently donated $2,000 to Griffith’s campaign coffers. - Politico Story
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