Arizona lawmaker Carlyle Begay switches parties

[alp227]

Source: Arizona Republic

Carlyle Begay, a Democrat who was often viewed as the state Senate's 18th Republican, officially joined the GOP Monday.

The announcement, attended by a bevy of Republican elected officials, surprised no one and makes no substantive change to the power dynamics in the Arizona Legislature.

But it does give the GOP bragging rights and a chance to make a run at winning over Native American voters in next year's elections.

Begay, a Navajo from Ganado, told The Arizona Republic that the Republican Party better reflects the values of self-determination and self-empowerment that he holds and wants to emphasize to his district, which includes the Navajo and Hopi reservations.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/11/23/arizona-lawmaker-carlyle-begay-switches-political-party/76137704/

[villager]

1. What is it with these rightwing, party-switching Native American reps?

Am reminded of Ben Nightmare Campbell, in the Reagan era....

Guess Kapos always imagine they'll be personally spared when the time comes....

[SunSeeker]

2. Native Americans overwhelmingly vote Democratic.

This dude is an outlier in every sense of the word.

[SpankMe]

3. I know a native American guy who's in the same boat as Begay.

He's a staunch Republican simply for the "self-determination / self-reliance" perspective that party alleges to hold. He seems oblivious to the fact that his party is - in almost every way possible - antagonistic to the Indian situation in the US.

Native American tribes wish to have their own self-determination by operating their reservations as they see fit, being exempted from many state and federal laws owing to their sovereign status as individual Indian nations. Repubs are against this, saying they should integrate with society more and obey state and federal laws. (So much for self-determination.)

Around here, conservatives for the most part are opposed to Indian gaming, even when I tell them that casino profits help Native Americans be less dependent as ever on the government benefits available to Native Americans. (So much for self reliance.)

There are more examples of the independent spirit of American Indian tribes which are opposed by Republicans - not to mention the outright racism displayed by conservatives directed at Native Americans.

Native Americans are better off in and with the Democratic party for the overall health and well-being of their reservations. Sticking with Repubs on a single issue while the rest of the Repub agenda is opposed to the Native American milieu is just dumb. I wish I could understand it.

Also, I'm a SF Giants fan.

[Downwinder]

5. Lets hear about self determination when a mining Co. wants land.

[MattSh]

4. Maybe this is the start of a trend...

There's been way too many Republicans switching over to Democratic. Maybe what the Democrats need are Republicans leaving the party. Couldn't hurt.

[Tempest]

6. He's switching to the party that is giving away tribal lands to corporations?

I wonder how much of a bribe it took to make him change parties.

I'd like to hear what his constituents think about his move.

[Le Taz Hot]

7. So, were all the Party Faithful in this district

ordered to vote for him because D? Without consideration of where he stands on policy issues? Just vote for him because D. Don't ask questions.