Rep. Lindsay Holmes Switches Parties
Who’s that in the portrait you ask? Well, let me get my glasses. It’s either Benedict Arnold or State Rep. Lindsey Holmes – it’s kind of hard to tell.
Lindsey Holmes, you see, was just elected in November in a strong Democratic district (one of the few in Alaska). She was elected as a Democrat, by mostly Democrats, to BE a Democrat. But she decided that after she’d begged for money from Democrats, denied another actual Democrat (whose color doesn’t run) a chance at the seat, and got ELECTED as a Democrat… that she’d just rather be a Republican.
Yes, in an era when the Republican Party has done nothing but get more extreme, she just had to change teams. Did I mention she’s a woman?
Today, after having fled her constituents and arrived safely in Juneau, her new employer, the House Majority Republicans sent out a press release.
“I am making this change to work for the best of Alaska and my constituents on the many important issues facing the state. I believe that the best way forward for Alaska’s future is as a member of the House Majority.”
Oh, really? My secret “this is bullshit” decoder ring reveals that “Alaska’s future” really means “my own political interests.”
Her constituents had the chance to vote for a representative who would have been in the majority. His name was Anand Dubey, and he had the integrity to call himself what he was – a Republican. He was articulate, intelligent, and ran a pretty good race. He only got 45% of the vote. She got 55%. According to Holmes, the voters would have been better off voting for Dubey, the guy in the majority party, but since they’re obviously too obtuse to understand what’s in their own best interest, she had to switch parties for them. Isn’t she super?
“I’ve enjoyed a close working relationship with the Majority for many years and have found that we share a common vision for Alaska. I look forward to working closely together to ensure Alaska’s future.”
A close working relationship? Ahhhh. That explains at least two things.
Perhaps the “close working relationship” would explain the sighting this year of a quite inebriated Representative Holmes, hanging upon the shoulder of Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan at an event at a watering hole in Juneau. We thought it was too icky to report it at the time, but since Ms. Holmes has come out loud and proud with her “Ick is Good” agenda, we’ll simply follow along.
It also explains why former Governor Bill Sheffield, who (when he’s not screwing up the port project) hosts fundraisers at his palatial estate overlooking Cook Inlet… for Republicans decided to put on a big shindig for Holmes to fill her coffers before November. Clearly, the Trojan candidate was planning her little switcheroo back then.
So, why didn’t she just run as a Republican if she thought it was so terribly important for her district to be in the majority? (HINT: Because she would have lost.)
And in case you were wondering about the exact price of Rep. Holmes’ (D->R) soul, that would be exactly the sum of one seat on the powerful House Finance Committee. Good to know.
Ms. Holmes is banking on one thing here – that her constituents will be as impressed as she is by her seat on the finance committee. She thinks they’ll forgive and forget. She thinks they won’t feel swindled by their donations in good faith to a Democrat, that ended up putting a Republican in office. Or answering her pleas to come wave blue signs for her, or calling their Democratic friends to get out the vote – only so the Republicans could increase their majority by one.
I wouldn’t take that bet. We won. And then the candidate decided to lose for us without asking. A donkey never forgets.
If she’s looking for a new campaign slogan in two years, may I humbly suggest:
Integrity: It’s so yesterday
Lindsey Holmes 2014
Before we at the Mudflats sign off in disgust, here’s a little memento for your scrapbook. Apparently the Democrats didn’t get a heads up about the defection, because her page still calls her a Democrat. And look, there’s her email and phone number, conveniently located under the photo of her in a blue shirt.
i am shocked . i have no other word to say.
Really folks? This has been happening all the time – we ALL were asleep at the wheel…until now…so don’t get mad get LEGAL…they really hate that…having to answer for their crimes…the nerve of it all…smirk…
In her actions, Rep Holmes has effectively issued an invitation to her constituents in West Anchorage to use her in a pragmatic way to accomplish West Anchorage objectives. You should be thinking specifically about the Anchorage School District, roads and other infrastructure in West Anchorage, state trooper protection, and on and on. Stop the hand wringing. She was one of the most productive freshman legislators ever, now she is sitting on the House Finance Committee, and she has a bag full of chits with established Republican members. West Anchorage is now in the catbird’s seat.. Did you think she was going to sit idly by in an even weaker minority, blocked from doing anything meaningful, and simply be ineffective, but oh so loyal to political ideology? If you want to get the best from her, then ask her to produce. Your nose-holding will not last for long.
Are you kidding me? Seriously? Hand-wringing? Wow.
Her defection gave the Republicans a supermajority and the ability to effectively shove legislation through before anyone had time to research it. It got Democrat Scott Kawasaki from Fairbanks kicked off the finance committee. What are THEY supposed to be thinking about? Fairbanks kids don’t need schools or roads, right? West Anchorage kids are more important. They’re special. They’re “in the catbird seat! ” Yipee! We should be thanking her for betraying the people who gave her money ONLY because she is a Democrat. Clearly she knows more about what her district wants than they do.
Your comment is so craven, self-serving, and “I got mine so screw everyone else” it sounds, well… Republican.
I suppose you know her personally, because nobody could actually believe that crap objectively.
You clearly don’t know how the CBC really works.
First: they get everything they want after promising you the world.
Second: they lose your number.
The end.
Fraud is a word people only learn the meaning of after they’ve been victimized.
Rep Holmes was elected to the House to serve her West Anchorage constituents. Pragmatically, her constituents are better served by her decision. And yes, Rep Holmes does know a lot about how to get what her district wants. Rep Holmes actions are preceded by many years of similar changes in alliances by the Bush legislators, from changing caucus, to changing political party membership, in order to best serve their constituents. Come 2014, she and her accomplishments will be judged again by her constituents, and we shall see what they think. In the meantime, Alaska Democrats should be thinking about how to win and be effective. A return to the Tip O’Neil-style precinct politics which served Democrats well for so long would be good, along with a stronger focus on jobs and economic development.
I’ll sign the recall petition if one comes out1
I seriously hope someone is organizing a recall. She deserves to be booted out on her Rethuglican a**.
breach of contract n. failing to perform any term of a contract, written or oral, without a legitimate legal excuse. This may include not completing a job, not paying in full or on time, failure to deliver all the goods, substituting inferior or significantly different goods, not providing a bond when required, being late without excuse, or any act which shows the party will not complete the work (“anticipatory breach.”) Breach of contract is one of the most common causes of law suits for damages and/or court-ordered “specific performance” of the contract. (See: breach, anticipatory breach, specific performance)
What is the threshhold for indignities that citizens must reach before they have had enough of rwnj pols? Is there a tipping point where the majority decides enough is way too much and you push back?
There seems to be a lot of this going around:
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2012/12/gop-idc-strike-deal-on-ny-senate-power-sharing-04
The IDC (independent Democratic coalition) and senate Republicans, who kept the barest of majorities, are going to be sharing power, with the Senate president being switched every two weeks. This kind of dysfunction and betrayal is sickening, disgusting, and bad for our states.
Hey, Alaska, what about those Second Amendment remedies someone I dimly recall was always yapping about. Oh, wait — wrong party.
In defense of Benedict Arnold, the American Revolution would have probably failed without his efforts in the first three years of the war… The British straegy of splitting the Colonies byinvading down thru Quebec was foiled by him on 3 seperate occasons, The first time by attacking Quebec with Morgan’s Virginians, causing the the invasion to be postponed, the 2nd by building a small fleet and attacking the British ships on Lake Champlain ( I think that’s the correct lake) , causing the Brits to put it off again, and the 3rd by defeating the British at the Battle of Saratoga, which was a major turning point in the war, as the French then openly supported the Colonists against the British… Gates was miles from the action and was a political general, not a fighter. It was after being refused recognization and promotion by Congress that he turned to the other side. He was of great service to the American Cause, allowing Washington time to build up the Continetal Army and keeping the Brits at bay for three years. Your Rep hasn’t even done anything for Alaska yet before becoming a turncoat..
Sue her.
Which is worse, being unrepresented or being “represented” by a traitor.
Erick (Eric? Erik?) Cordero did the same thing in the Valley a few years ago. He struts around with his in-crowd friends and even wrote a newspaper article extolling the virtues of his new party, thinking himself a big man in his community. I expect Lindsay Holmes to follow suit like a good little girl.
Lindsay’s change is worse because she was elected to a legislative body that organizes by party. School boards are non-partisan in Alaska. They don’t organize by party, at least not officially. And I don’t recall him changing just before being sworn in.
I am also her constituent. She will never get my vote again.
This is fraud and it’s beyond belief!
T. Frank Box suggested maybe she “jumped ship so she could infiltrate the majority and break the grid lock.” I assume that was wishful thinking, Frank. Ain’t gonna happen.
Even if that were the case, is that what we have come to? — that that kind of behavior would even be considered acceptable? or even *considered* at all?
But yes, Frank, that’s what we have come to.
As others say — disgusting.
Hm, did not know about this before I saw her in the ‘hood today. Should be interesting around here this session…
This is very horrifying – the stuff of nightmares for the people who voted for her I imagine. I hope this is grounds for recall. I am not in her district but I feel like I just found out I’ve been cheated on.
perhaps a fraud suit is in order?
Hate to say this — really do —
but maybe Palin was right. Alaska really is run by a “Good Ol’ Boy” system. Doesn’t matter what party you belong to — it’s just what you want, who you know and how much you want it. And how you get it has nothing to do with ethics or principles. Or political parties either, for that matter.
Ugh.
Southeast Alaskans replaced one Republican co-chair of the House Finance Committee this year with a young man from Sitka with exemplary integrity. Let’s hope Anchorage Alaskans have someone with integrity step forward to earn their trust and replace Rep. Holmes in the next election.
The Democratic Party platform in Alaska is a fine document. Rep. Holmes attended the 2013 Democratic Party Convention that adopted this platform. http://alaskademocrats.org/your-party/party-platform
For whatever self-serving reason Rep. Holmes turned her back on the principles in this document and on her Democratic constituents in her district, it’s not going to set well with folks with principles anywhere in Alaska.
This is one of the reasons I moved from Alaska after living there for 32 years. It got so damn hard to continue to push the rock uphill…and watch it roll down again. Too conservative. Reminds me of Erick Cordero, from the Mat-Su, who also changed parties, when he thought it would be better for his ambitions. Remember Curt Menard? He did the same thing, then had to finally go back to the Dems. Being a Democrat in such a rock solid repugnant state is fricking hard, hard work, especially when the leaders switch to the other side.
Erick Cordero changed, but he was on the school board, which is non-partisan by law, and mostly non-partisan in action.
It is hard to be D in this state. The most successful ones like Tony Knowles and Mark Begich are actually fairly conservative (remind me of many Republicans from 30 years ago (back when you were allowed to be Republican and sane at the same time).
True that Erick was on the School Board at the time, but I believe he’s got big plans to run again in the future. He was defeated in his quest for Senate earlier on. I believe he is now on the staff of a recently elected Republican Valley Rep. and will be running for bigger office soon. You are absolutely correct about the conservative nature of the elected D’s in office. They are like many Republicans in the lower 48.
Yes, I too suspect Erick has bigger plans, and as a D, he would have no chance living in the valley.
As bad as Joanne Emerson who quit just a month after being overwhelmingly reelected in Missouri. She was a republican though. .
Hey, Mary — at least she quit. Much better than being a turncoat right after the election. Her constituents are probably lucky.
Is she anti choce now? In favor of throwing money at oil companies? What other positions has she changed?
She switched parties?
She couldn’t just hold her nose and join the majority as a Dem (which IS a time honored way of dealing with things here)?
She frickin switched parties right after an election and just before session gavels in?!
For cryin holy moley and kickin a bucket out loud!
Hope her district lets her know how they feel about that … in very loud terms.
As Susan Carlsen said, “can’t you recall or impeach her or something?”
From what I’ve read, she was planning this. If there’s proof, could the party do something?
DO IT!