Dem turns Republican

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Freshman U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith, D-Ala., switched to the Republican party Tuesday and Democrats want their money back.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent more than $1 million last year to help Griffith eke out a 51 percent victory in a north Alabama district that went for John McCain by 61 percent. Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., chairman of the DCCC, said that Griffith "has a duty and responsibility to return to Democratic members and the DCCC the financial resources that were invested in him."

Griffith, an oncologist, said the healthcare bill was the major reason for his switch.

"I want to make it perfectly clear that this bill is bad for our doctors, our patients and will have unintended consequences far beyond what we know today," he said.

Although he voted with the Democratic majority 84 percent of the time, according to the Washington Post's database, he had voted against the party on major issues such as the stimulus package, the cap-and-trade energy bill and healthcare reform.

He has also said he will not support Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House in 2011.

He may also be eyeing his prospects for re-election in next year's mid-terms in a district where President Obama drew only 38 percent of the vote.