Independence County Judge Switches To GOP
by September 24, 2015 11:05 am 617 views
A Northeast Arkansas county judge on Thursday announced he was switching political parties, with Republican state party officials optimistic of more numbers.
In a statement, state GOP officials announced that Independence County Judge Robert Griffin would be leaving the Democratic party and joining the GOP. Griffin was elected in 2010 to the county judge’s office, defeating incumbent Bill Hicks in the Northeast Arkansas county. In an interview with Talk Business & Politics, Griffin said the views of the national Democratic party have swung too far to the left.
“The political climate to the national Democratic party has been adverse for some time for folks like me,” Griffin said.
Griffin said the recent debate over funding for Planned Parenthood helped make the decision for him, calling the funding an “atrocity” that equates to “murder for hire.”
Independence County has been a bellwether in Arkansas state politics for many years. A longtime swing county, voters there have elected Democrats like former Sen. Steve Bell and Republicans like former Rep. and now District Judge Chaney Taylor.
However, Republicans won several state legislative and county races during the 2014 campaign. Batesville native and Republican Leslie Rutledge also won the state’s attorney general office, defeating then-State Rep. Nate Steel, D-Nashville.
In a statement, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he is welcoming Griffin to the GOP.
“Arkansans hold conservative values, and Judge Griffin is a perfect fit. We have worked together to create jobs in Independence County, and he shares my desire to increase economic growth in the state. We welcome his decision to switch parties, and I look forward to continue working together,” Hutchinson said.
Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, echoed Hutchinson’s statement.
“For the past several years Judge Griffin has worked hard for Independence County, but the work of reliable leaders like Robert Griffin in the First District also helps me do my job in Washington. Judge Griffin and I have worked together to protect personal property rights and to oppose excessive federal regulations, and having someone like him in the Republican Party will only help the cause of a smaller, simpler federal government.”
Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., said Judge Griffin’s switch to the GOP is a telling sign.
“I want to be one of the first to welcome Independence County Judge Robert Griffin to the Republican Party,” Tim Griffin said. “Judge Griffin is a conservative who, like so many other Arkansans, has concluded that the liberal Democrat Party doesn’t represent his values and the Republican Party is the natural home for conservatives in Arkansas. Welcome, Judge Griffin!”
In the statement, Arkansas Republican Party chairman Doyle Webb said that Judge Griffin will “be met with open arms.”
“Arkansans across our state are realizing the truth — that there is only one party that stands up for their values, and that party is the Republican Party,” Webb said.
The switch on Thursday was the fourth one in the past month by former Democrats. Rep. Mike Holcomb, R-Pine Bluff, announced Aug. 20 that he was leaving the Democrats. Nine days later, former Rep. Wes Wagner, R-Manila and Poinsett County Assessor Johnny Rye, R-Trumann, announced they were leaving the Democrats and running as Republicans in the District 54 state House seat.