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Posted on Tue, Jan. 13, 2009

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Swenson departs GOP to join Democrats

BY DION LEFLER AND JEANNINE KORANDA

Eagle Topeka bureau

TOPEKA - The state Legislature has one more Democrat than it did yesterday, after Wichita Rep. Dale Swenson switched parties.

At a Capitol news conference Monday, shortly after lawmakers took their oaths of office, Swenson announced he was leaving the Republican Party and joining the Democratic caucus.

Swenson said he thinks the Democratic Party offers better solutions to the economic crisis facing the country and that he has lost confidence in the Republican approach.

"The bleeding has to stop, and I believe the Democratic Party has the more serious desire to do something to fix some of the problems," he said.

Swenson said he wasn't certain what would happen to his committee assignments or his office space.

Swenson has been close with House Democrats for the past few years, his fellow lawmakers said.

"I don't understand why he hadn't changed before," said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, R-Wichita.

"It is unfortunate that Rep. Swenson feels he is no longer in tune with us," said House Majority Leader Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell. "While we do not want to lose a Republican seat, we respect the fact that Dale is finally being honest with his constituency."

Swenson had been attending the Democratic caucus for years and often voted along with the party, Landwehr said.

"Anyone that has been in the Legislature and worked with Dale already knows that Dale, he is not focused on straight party-line politics," said Rep. Melody McCray-Miller, D-Park City.

While his votes often fell along Democratic lines, Republicans also said the move was disingenuous and unfair to voters in Swenson's district.

"I'm sure his constituents down in Wichita appreciate being lied to," said Christian Morgan, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party.

Swenson's jump to the Democrats increases the party's caucus to 49 of the 125-member House, earning additional seats on some committees for the minority party.

Rep. Don Myers, R-Derby, greeted Swenson's announcement with surprise.

"Some of the members of the (south-central Kansas) delegation may have known, but I didn't," he said. "I didn't anticipate it."

Myers said he has no hard feelings toward Swenson and noted Swenson had been drifting toward the Democrats for several years.

"He's probably in the right party," Myers said.

Myers added that while some of Swenson's Republican constituents may feel betrayed by his switch, the district has a large percentage of Democrats and Swenson may have felt some pressure to switch parties.