By Staff
Alabama Political Reporter
(Update Thursday, October 5 at 8:05 pm the below event that was scheduled for Friday has been cancelled, and has not yet been rescheduled.)
The Crenshaw County Republican Executive Committee recently welcomed two former Democrat elected officials to the ALGOP: Commissioner Michelle Stephens and Commissioner Merrill Sport.
Crenshaw County Republican Party Chairman William Rayborn made the following statement regarding the new Party members: “The Crenshaw County Republican Executive Committee is excited to welcome Commissioner Michelle Stephens and Commissioner Merrill Sport to the Alabama Republican Party. We look forward to working with this exciting duo of commissioners. Additionally, we look forward to the leadership of our first female Republican commissioner. Both our county and state party members take this opportunity to welcome Mrs. Stephens and Mr. Sport and support their efforts to uphold the values we all share.”
Crenshaw County Commissioners Michelle Stephens and Merrill Sport will make the switch official on the steps of the Crenshaw County Courthouse on Friday October 6, 2017 at 10:15 a.m.
Popular Alabama Country rock artist Donica Knight will sing the National Anthem. Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Latham will welcome commissioners Stephens and Sport to the party. Trump Victory Chair and Trump Campaign Co-Chair Perry O. Hooper Jr. will emcee the event.
Former State Representative Hooper (R-Prattville) stated, “Michelle and Merrill are longtime friends of mine. I have been recruiting them to make the switch. They have realized the values and policies they espouse are no longer welcome in the very liberal Alabama Democratic Party. They have decided to leave the party and join the long list of party switchers. The days of the Alabama Democratic Party had any conservative values are over. It now espouses the values of Bernie Sanders, not Donald Trump as Birmingham’s Mayor’s election just pointed out. These two outstanding County Commissioners are all about God, Family and Country just like Crenshaw County.”
Commissioner Sport is the President of Hunt Channel TV.
Some Republican Steering Committee members have expressed skepticism about the motivation of some of the party switchers.
No Democratic Party candidate has won a statewide race in Alabama since 2008.
Both Commissioners Stephens’ and Sport’s terms expire in 2018.
