[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H3398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TO FORMER DEMOCRAT RUDY BRADLEY, WELCOME TO THE GOP

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, there is a trend going on in America today 
that is not talked much about, particularly on that side, at least on 
the national level. It is a phenomenon of party switching, and it is 
party-switching going in one direction and one direction only, from 
Democrats to Republicans.
  Over 390 elected Democrats have switched to the GOP since Clinton and 
Gore were elected in 1992. Well, the Republican Party would like to 
welcome the latest party-switcher, State Representative Rudy Bradley of 
St. Petersburg, Florida.
  Rudy Bradley is the only black Republican in the 160-member Florida 
legislature, for now. Here we have a lifetime proud Democrat who has 
finally come to the conclusion that the Democratic Party simply does 
not reflect his values or the values of his constituents.
  He is tired of the Democrats' constant demonizing those who disagree 
with them. He is tired of rhetoric that says one thing while governing 
as a tax and spend liberal. He is tired of the attacks on the 
traditional values that made America great to begin with.
  Rudy, welcome to the GOP.

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