As an ex-Democrat, it always warms my heart to see someone leave the party of ego, self-service, and manipulation for a party that, while it still has some hurdles to overcome, is at least trying to get the ship of state back on course. To be clear, I welcome anyone who decides to break free of the approved narrative, even if there is still some disagreement on various issues. A new person in the fight does not have to become a Republican, but fresh faces and new ideas should always be welcome.
With that said, on behalf of conservatives everywhere, I would like to welcome state Senator Mesha Mainor to the GOP. Ms. Mainor is a former Democrat who represents Georgia’s 56th District. Given my history, I have a soft spot in my heart for people like Ms. Mainor, who seems to have somewhat mirrored my journey toward realizing that the Democrat Party has not exactly lived up to the hype in its recruitment brochures.
According to the Associated Press, Mainor said that the Democrats forced her out for not toeing the party line. There appear to be two issues that helped push her toward the right. One involved an incident with a stalker in which the perpetrator got off with a light punishment. The other revolved around Mainor’s support for school choice even as some RINO Republicans crossed the aisle to defeat a vote on it. Fox News reports that, at the time, Mainor said:
I support school choice, parent rights and opportunities for children to thrive, especially those that are marginalized and tend to fail in school. The Democrats at the Capitol took a hard position and demanded every Democrat vote against children and for the teachers union. I voted yes for parents and yes for children, not failing schools.
Support for school choice, as we all know, can mean the kiss of death amongst progressives. Retribution from Mainor’s fellow Democrats was swift.
Via the AP:
School choice has always had some support among urban Black Democrats, but Mainor’s fellow party members reacted with scorn even as Republicans rallied to Mainor’s support. State Sen. Josh McLaurin, an Atlanta Democrat, posted a picture of a $1,000 check online for a primary challenger, writing “All I need is a name.”
Wow. I knew it was bad but even I didn’t know the Dems could be that nasty to one another. I’m lucky I got out when I did.
The AP said that, at a Tuesday presser, Mainor said that the Democrats in the Georgia statehouse had “relentlessly tried to sabotage every single thing that I have done for District 56 and publicly slandered me in every way imaginable.” The legislator also had some sage advice, stating: “I am encouraging more Black Americans and Black Democrats in particular – you might have this coat on, but I suggest you look at the lining. See what’s on the inside.”
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Ms. Mainor, again, welcome. The GOP is far from perfect. We have our internecine squabbles and the party has some jerks of its own. I’ve met a few and some may consider me to be one. That’s a possibility any time you get more than one person in a room. But I think you’ll find that on the whole, we aren’t the ruthless, entitled, racist robber barons we’re made out to be. You’ll meet white, black, Asian, and Latino conservatives, Native American and Indian conservatives, and even Muslim conservatives. We have straight and gay conservatives. I once met a conservative drag performer. One thing we all have in common is that we want the best for our country, our children, and one another. I look forward to your long and storied career.
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