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Party switching, once risky, eyed as key to survival by some (DICK PETTYS, 11/09/04, Associated Press)

Party switching used to be a risky business in Georgia. Now some politicians see it as a key to survival.

"If you're in the minority and from rural Georgia, you're not going to have very much of a say in the legislative process," said Rep. Chuck Sims of Douglas, one of the most recent in a fairly long - and perhaps growing - list of Democrats who suddenly have turned Republican.

Sims took the plunge Monday along with Rep. Hinson Mosley of Jesup, who held onto his House seat by only about 220 votes after a fierce challenge from a Republican in last week's election.

"This seat doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the people of my district," Sims said. "We have issues that are paramount to the people that live there and in order to have a voice, you have to be in the majority."

For 130 years in Georgia that meant being a Democrat. But now that means being a Republican.

Republicans gained a majority in the House in last week's elections, guaranteeing them control of both chambers along with the governor's office when a new Legislature meets in January.