January 13, 2003
SOUND AND FURY (via Crow Blog)
Ford Becomes First Black Republican In Alabama Legislature: Democrat Switches To Republican Party (Associated Press, January 10, 2003)State Rep. Johnny Ford, the former longtime mayor of Tuskegee, said Thursday he is switching from the Democratic to the Republican Party, a move that will make him the first black Republican in the Alabama Legislature in at least a century."I am doing this because I strongly feel that in Alabama we need to put partisan politics behind us and join hands as one," said Ford, who quietly supported Republican Gov.-elect Bob Riley during last year's election.
Ford, 60, said he plans to make the official announcement at a news conference with Riley within the next week. [...]
He will be the first black Republican to serve in the Legislature since the days of Reconstruction following the Civil War, according to state archives.
Democrats keep banging the race drum, waiting for folks to dance to its tune. There's little evidence anyone's listening. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 13, 2003 4:36 PM
A black Republican in Alabama? I guess that opens the door for Governor Charles Barkley...
Posted by: Foos at January 13, 2003 4:08 PMMy hat goes off to Rep. Ford. Among other things, his decision is a very courageous one. May his tribe increase.
Posted by: George Peery at January 13, 2003 4:43 PMHaving seen Johnny Ford in action over most of my life (I grew up in south Alabama, and went to college at Auburn, right next door to Tuskegee, where Ford was mayor for what seemed like forever), I have to wonder if this is actually a good thing. Based on my experience, Johnny Ford is interested almost exclusively in things that are good for Johnny Ford, and not much else...
Posted by: Will Collier at January 15, 2003 6:28 AM