Guillory announces switch to GOP

[WestVirginiaRebel]

the advocate:

Democratic state Sen. Elbert Guillory said Friday he is leaving “the party of disappointment” to join the ranks of Republicans.

With the move, the Opelousas conservative becomes the only black Republican in the Louisiana Legislature and the Republican delegation’s first black member.

Guillory made the announcement as he received the Frederick Douglass Award at a national conference of black conservative leaders in Baton Rouge. Douglass escaped from slavery and became a leader in the abolitionist movement in 19th century America.

Stephen Handwerk, executive director of the Louisiana State Democratic Party, called the party switch “a craven display of political opportunism.”

Handwerk called on Guillory to resign his Senate seat “since he has chosen to abandon the Democratic Party values that the voters elected him to represent.” He said Guillory is aligning himself with the party that has stood with Gov. Bobby Jindal’s “failed policies and against working families in Acadiana.” He said Louisiana Republicans have opposed equal pay for women and expansion of Medicaid to cover more of the state’s uninsured.

Guillory, a lawyer, has worked with Jindal on several issues, most prominently in efforts to revamp the state employee pension system.

“As of this day, I join Frederick Douglass as a Republican,” Guillory, 68, said as he wrapped up a speech blistering the Democratic Party. The move is a return to Republican Party registration for Guillory.

“Today the party of disappointment has moved away from the majority of Louisiana. They have moved away from traditional values of most Americans,” Guillory said in prepared remarks. “They have left us behind on crucial issues like abortion, vouchers, Second Amendment rights, union control of public jobs, school prayer, family issues.”

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The party of false promises loses one more.