A Democratic state lawmaker from solidly blue DeKalb County has become a Republican.
Rep. Mike Jacobs announced his decision in an open letter he posted on his website:
Most of Jacob’s district, however, votes Democratic. More than twice as many Democrats as Republicans turned out for the 2006 primary election.
House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) released a written statement calling Jacobs a "good, dedicated, common-sense representative." With Jacobs, Republicans now control 107 of the 180 House seats.
By joining the GOP, Jacobs, a two-term lawmaker, continues a statewide trend that picked up steam when Sonny Perdue—another party-switcher—became governor. At that time, several rural Democrats became Republicans. They retained their powerful leadership positions, in exchange for giving the GOP a majority in the Senate.
Rep. Mike Jacobs announced his decision in an open letter he posted on his website:
My strong belief in fiscal responsibility and restraint – a belief that the vast majority of my constituents share – is not a good fit within the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives… I fit best with moderate Republican legislators like Jill Chambers (Chamblee, Doraville, and part of Brookhaven), Ed Lindsey (Buckhead and parts of Brookhaven and Sandy Springs), and Fran Millar (Dunwoody, Huntley Hills, and part of the Murphey Candler area).
Most of Jacob’s district, however, votes Democratic. More than twice as many Democrats as Republicans turned out for the 2006 primary election.
House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) released a written statement calling Jacobs a "good, dedicated, common-sense representative." With Jacobs, Republicans now control 107 of the 180 House seats.
By joining the GOP, Jacobs, a two-term lawmaker, continues a statewide trend that picked up steam when Sonny Perdue—another party-switcher—became governor. At that time, several rural Democrats became Republicans. They retained their powerful leadership positions, in exchange for giving the GOP a majority in the Senate.
