Ala.'s Griffith switches from Dems to GOP

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Freshman U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith of Alabama said Tuesday he was leaving the Democratic Party because the Republican Party "is more in tune with my beliefs."

Griffith, a physician-turned U.S. congressman, cited his opposition to the healthcare reform bill and the national debt as two reasons for his party switch, AL.com reported.

"I take this step because I believe our nation is at a crossroads and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives us further and further into debt," Griffith said in a statement.

"I now believe I have to go farther and stand with a party that is more in tune with my beliefs," Griffith said during a news conference.

Citing unnamed sources, The Hill said Republicans in the Alabama House delegation began weeks ago to try to persuade Griffith to switch parties.

Griffith, elected in 2008, joined the so-called Blue Dog Democrats, a coalition of fiscally and socially conservative members of the House majority party.

While he voted with Democrats 84 percent of the time, The Washington Post said Griffith voted with the GOP on major issues such as healthcare reform, the cap-and-trade climate bill and the economic stimulus bill.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, issued a statement saying Griffith should return money the DCCC provided for his congressional campaign, Politico reported.

"House Democratic members and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee took Parker Griffith at his word and, as a result, invested a great deal in working with Alabamans to bring Mr. Griffith to Congress," the statement said. "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."