April 09, 2008
PA GOP Attempts To Win Back Dem Converts
HARRISBURG, Pa. - State Republicans concerned about all those new Democratic voters in the state are launching a program to switch back to the GOP. Party officials believe they can woo as many as 40 percent of them after the primary.
"If someone changed their party affiliation, we will be meeting them at the polls to welcome them back," said John McNally, PA GOP Voter Registration Committee chairman. "I want to assure every Republican that our party plans to address this issue and we will expand our Republican registrations."
In addition to handing out registration cards at polling sites on April 22, the party plans to send new registration forms to those who have switched parties and to launch a media campaign. Officials would not suggest a cost, saying most of the work would be done by volunteers.
The closed Dem primary sparked a wave of new Dem registrations, and the state GOP estimates it lost 1.79% of its membership this year. There are currently 4.19 million registered Democrats in the state, compared to 3.19 million registered Republicans.
State GOP Chair Robert Gleason said Wednesday that he is not surprised by the change. If the state had a contested Republican primary, the reverse would have occurred. The party is used to being in the minority, he said, typically down 400,000 to 500,000 registrants.
Gleason said he recognizes some of the names of those who switched. He believes many changed parties to vote against either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Others left because they wanted a voice in the primary, he said, but will come back because they agree with the GOP's principles.
Gleason also said the party is concerned about voter fraud -- specifically Democrats crossing the NJ border to vote in the PA general election. He said he has enlisted a firm to research voter fraud in the state and plans to review those people registered in both states.
Voters can, of course, cast a ballot in November despite their party affiliation. But Gleason said it is important to increase the party's numbers for future primaries and local elections, as well as to show the party's strength.
"I'm not embarrassed by it," he said. "I don't like it, but I'm not embarrassed by it."
(NBC/NJ's MATTHEW BERGER)
Posted at 11:36 AM
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