AUSTIN — When state Rep. Aaron Peña became the second Democrat in a week to switch to the GOP, the reaction from his former party went beyond disappointed.
One Hispanic colleague issued a statement saying that this "is not the Aaron Peña I know." Another said he didn't believe Peña was motivated by public service. A Twitter account was set up called, "Aaron Sellout Peña." The blogger known as Mean Rachel touted "Call Out Aaron Pena Day," which asked people to remove him as a Facebook friend, block him on Twitter and ask for their money back if they'd donated to him (and yes, that's the way she wrote his name, calling him "hereby tilde-less and using his cleansed, conservative Republican namesake").
Since Peña had just been elected as a Democrat, State Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie said, he should resign and run as a Republican to keep his seat. That was one of the few reactions that was similar with regard to Peña and Rep. Allan Ritter of Nederland, whom Peña followed in making the switch.
The reaction to Peña's move sounded tougher for at least a couple of reasons. Although Democrats didn't like Ritter's decision, the East Texan could point to a district that had become more Republican. Peña's is solidly Democratic, so his choice was "baffling," one Democrat said. In addition, and more significantly, there's Peña's Hispanic constituency.
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