Party switcher

By Staff
April 16, 2004
Another elected official joined the ranks of Mississippi Republicans the other day, continuing a trend that has Republicans rejoicing and Democrats wondering what they have to do to keep their party viable.
Southern District Public Service Commissioner Michael Callahan said what party switchers before him have said namely, that he's becoming a Republican because he no longer feels comfortable as a Democrat. So, party labels matter after all?
The Democratic Party here in Mississippi is moving more to the left and it's becoming tougher and tougher for conservative politicians like myself to find a place in the party,'' he said. The leftward leanings of Democrats nationally will certainly not help presumptive presidential nominee John Kerry in this state.
Callahan, 36, was first elected to the Public Service Commission in 1999 and won a second term last fall. He and his family live in Hattiesburg.
Callahan is one of those fresh faces Democrats can ill afford to lose, but Republicans must cultivate if they are to become, truly, the majority party in Mississippi. To date, things are moving in the Republicans' direction.