Debt ceiling

GOP Reps Uneasy About Triggered Defense Cuts

Benjy Sarlin | August 1, 2011, 4:11PM

Emerging from a meeting with party leaders, House Republicans cited potential defense cuts as a top concern in the bipartisan debt ceiling agreement.

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AL-05

Dem-Turned-GOPer Parker Griffith Loses Republican Primary

Eric Kleefeld | June 2, 2010, 12:21AM

Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL)

Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL), who switched from the Democratic Party in December 2009, has been defeated in his Republican primary by Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks. Griffith is now the second party-switcher to lose his new party's primary this year, following Pennsylvania's Republican-turned-Democratic Senator Arlen Specter.

Griffith has conceded the race. With 99% of precincts reporting, Brooks has 51% of the vote -- just above the 50% needed to win without a runoff -- with Griffith at 33% and businessman Les Phillip with 16%. Griffith was elected to a Democratic-held open seat in 2008, winning a 51%-49% race in a district that John McCain carried 61%-38%. He switched parties in 2009, citing the health care bill and Democratic spending as major reasons for his decision, after having already voted against such big-ticket Democratic items as the stimulus, cap-and-trade and health care.

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AL-05

Dem-Turned-GOPer Parker Griffith In Spirited Primary Fight Tuesday

Eric Kleefeld | May 31, 2010, 9:01AM

Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL)

Rep. Parker Griffith (R-AL), who was elected as a Democrat in 2008 and switched to the Republicans in December 2009, could be facing a tough challenge in his primary this Tuesday.

Under Alabama law, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote in the primary, or else he would have to compete in a runoff election in July. A Republican source in Alabama told TPMDC that Griffith's two challengers, Madison County Commissioner Mo Brooks and businessman Les Phillip, are competing for the same voters against Griffith. "I'd give him probably a 60% chance of getting to 50 plus one," the source said, explaining that Griffith is favored to win but also that a runoff could be tricker for him.

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