Caldwell
After months of rumors, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell officially announced that he has switched his party affiliation to Republican.
The announcement came late last week and prompted just a six-paragraph story on NOLA.com. In the days leading up to the party switch, neither the Louisiana Attorney General's office nor Caldwell's campaign office could offer comment on his decision.
In a statement, Caldwell said, "this change of party is in line with thousands of everyday people who simply feel more comfortable with most of what the Republican Party represents locally and nationally."
Caldwell, who is seeking reelection in 2010, had been the only state-wide elected official who was a member of the Democratic party.
Speaking to The Louisiana Record last week, campaign spokeswoman Cynthia Dupree said that rumors of Caldwell's switch have not affected fundraising for Caldwell's 2010 reelection bid.
"We've had a very good fundraising year," Dupree said. "No one has really commented on the rumors one way or the other."
Neither the Louisiana Attorney General's Office Web site nor Caldwell's campaign Web site make any mention to the party switch.