Who knew?
Pat Jones has been outed.
The assistant minority whip in the Utah House is a registered Republican!
Gasp.
Republican Rep. John Dougall did the outing on his blog, Dynamic Range, http://www.dynamicrange.org, poking fun at a Democratic leader with Republican ties.
"Let's hear it for covering all your bases!" he wrote.
Jones, on the other hand, doesn't think it's very funny. Actually, she's pretty sensitive about it.
"Rep. Dougall probably ought to be out listening to his constituents and learning about what their needs are rather than worrying what political party I am registered with," she said.
Ouch.
Jones said she registered as a Republican some time ago so she could vote in one of the closed Republican primaries. Democratic primaries are open.
"Like most people, I vote for the person," Jones said. "There are some Republicans that I have supported in the past."
But Jones insists she is still a good "Utah Democrat, because somebody has to represent the opinions of the majority of Utahns."
And as for her party affiliation on the Salt Lake County voter rolls? Don't expect it to change any time soon.
"I don't think it is even a concern," she said. "I haven't changed it back, frankly there may be some Republicans in the future I might want to support."
OK. So in some states, with a more active two-party system, Jones would probably be denounced publicly if not tarred and feathered. But in red-as-red-can-be Utah, even state Democratic party leaders seem to think it is no big deal that a Democrat office holder and current Senate candidate is registered with the other party.
"We are actually wondering what the big deal is," said Democratic spokesman Jeff Bell. "All sorts of people do this."
-- Matt Canham
The assistant minority whip in the Utah House is a registered Republican!
Gasp.
Republican Rep. John Dougall did the outing on his blog, Dynamic Range, http://www.dynamicrange.org, poking fun at a Democratic leader with Republican ties.
"Let's hear it for covering all your bases!" he wrote.
Jones, on the other hand, doesn't think it's very funny. Actually, she's pretty sensitive about it.
"Rep. Dougall probably ought to be out listening to his constituents and learning about what their needs are rather than worrying what political party I am registered with," she said.
Ouch.
Jones said she registered as a Republican some time ago so she could vote in one of the closed Republican primaries. Democratic primaries are open.
"Like most people, I vote for the person," Jones said. "There are some Republicans that I have supported in the past."
But Jones insists she is still a good "Utah Democrat, because somebody has to represent the opinions of the majority of Utahns."
And as for her party affiliation on the Salt Lake County voter rolls? Don't expect it to change any time soon.
"I don't think it is even a concern," she said. "I haven't changed it back, frankly there may be some Republicans in the future I might want to support."
OK. So in some states, with a more active two-party system, Jones would probably be denounced publicly if not tarred and feathered. But in red-as-red-can-be Utah, even state Democratic party leaders seem to think it is no big deal that a Democrat office holder and current Senate candidate is registered with the other party.
"We are actually wondering what the big deal is," said Democratic spokesman Jeff Bell. "All sorts of people do this."
-- Matt Canham
12:49 PM
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