Tonight the Argus Leader has printed South Dakota GOP Chairman Dan Lederman’s long form response to Lora Hubbel & Stace Nelson’s concerns over his having started out his adulthood as a Democrat, as Lederman responds that it’s “OK to change political parties in America:
I have a confession to make, which might be difficult for some people to accept. I was raised by Iowa Democrats.
My mom and my dad were lifelong Democrats in Iowa, and in fact, my father was chairman of the Democrat Party in Black Hawk County for a number of years. My family actually raised me to be a Democrat and early on in my adult life, that’s how I was registered.
I, Dan Lederman, chairman of the S.D. Republican Party started out my adulthood as an Iowa Democrat.
and..
I’ve always been taught that the party of Ronald Reagan – another former Democrat – is a party with a big tent, supported by both those who chose the party from the onset and those who were drawn to it as they examined the values that were important to them.
The Republican Party will always value the contributions and candidacies of those who have chosen to identify with it and true Republicans are not critical of any former party affiliation of those who have invested the time and effort to represent the GOP in the public eye.
and…
And no matter how you are registered today, I’ll be there to welcome you into the GOP with an open hand and an open heart and to support you should you ever choose to serve the public as a representative of your community and the Republican Party.
I couldn’t say it better. Tired of being a Democrat (or a member of the Constitution Party)? Get those registration forms out, and join the Party – the Republican Party!
Although I’m a registered Independent, FORMERLY a Republican for many years, (Nixon was my first vote) I’d rather join the Constitution Party than rejoin the Republican Party as it exists today. Infected with progressives.
We were Independents, then found out we couldn’t vote in primaries, now were registered Republicans. Won’t be giving any more donations to the GOP, our do-nothing-Congress in WH and fake Republicans in Pierre need to go.
Maybe Lerderman will call-out some of these RINOs and the Republican platform can start “winning”.
I started out as a Democrat when I got out of college. But then as I grew up, I realized that the Republican value system lines up with my value system. What’s the big deal of deciding to change when you realize that your values are better defined in a different party?
I changed political parties myself. Over the years I changed careers, addresses and husbands too.
I am suspicious of people who don’t embrace change. I don’t want to think about their underwear.
Great story, the only problem? Lederman has never changed parties. He’s still an active registered Democrat in Iowa.
Problem is, that’s bunk. It’s not his fault his former county hasn’t purged the record.
If I sell you my house, and you don’t scrape my name off the mailbox, that doesn’t give me an ownership interest.
Pat that point was not addressed by the AL.
Er, North Dakota doesn’t even have voter registration. Does that mean there are no Republicans north of Herried?
why would you want to ever check on those heathens to the North!
SOUTH DAKOTA RULES! NORTH DAKOTA eh who cares! 🙂
Iowa didn’t purge their voter rolls, Stace. Try again, dufus.
What how dare he be from another state Stace Nelson has said so, we are not pure if from out of state. we are not pure if not a life long Republican….
Some great South Dakotans would not pass these tests of Stace…Go look it up Francis Case was from Iowa too…hey wait Royal Johnson was also…in fact our first 8 governors were not born in SD or the SD territory, I just looked it up.
Meanwhile Stace stands with Democrats, only attacks Republicans, never gets one conservative thing actually passed but likes to lecture all of us on not being conservative enough….
As I continued on fro the last post I looked and counted 17 of the 31 people who have been governor were born out of state! I learned something tonight also…even Janklow was born in Chicago ( I only counted him once).
You are saying Stace stands with Democrats, I think conservative democrats stand with Stace.
Contradiction in terms
Fantastic article. Dan, thank you.
PS I was raised by South Dakota Democrats, but got my eyes opened hanging out with Sig Anderson before I turned 18. Have seen many friends follow the path to the GOP over the years, glad to have hem all.
Yeah, well I can top that. I was raised by a Democrat dad who talked like a Republican and a Republican mom who talked like a Democrat! Imagine how confused I was!
Reagan quote from 1972: “The person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20 percent traitor.”
Then there’s the storied quote to the effect of: “before you are 25 if you are not a Socialist you have no heart and after you’re 25 if you are a Socialist you have no head.” See: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/02/24/heart-head/ for the long history of variants of this saying.
My father may have been the only Democrat in the country who became a Republican in 1964 because he couldn’t vote for Lyndon Johnson. Fortunately the GOP of his time had a big enough tent to invite him in. They/we got a good deal.
Gasp…as a sophomore in high school, I volunteers for Sen Tom Dashle and his campaign for re-election….oops.
Off with your head!
I am so distraught about it, my grammar was awful.
*Daschle
*Volunteered
Tara,
Conservative Democrats who are pro-abortion, pro-single payer, socialist like Cory Heidelberger?
Not talking about him Troy. Many good pro-life conservative Democrats in SD, just like there are many good pro-life conservative Republicans.
Over the past couple of decades, there have been lots of people who have changed their political affiliation. I happen to be one of them. If you look at the numbers of Democrats, Republicans, Independents CP and Libertarians over the years, I believe you will find there is a significant drop in Democrat registrations and increases in Republican, Independent , CP and Libertarian registrations. This seems like a non-story except for some of the conspiracy people out there.
In most people’s world, a company which gains marketshare is doing a better job than their competitors.
In most people’s world, a political party which gains voter registrations is doing a better job than their competitors.
And, in other’s world, screaming and ranting and having people ignore you is doing a good job.
Let’s hear it for accomplishing one’s goals.