voters in Dix's district need to start now to get this guy replaced!
Democrats welcome party-swapper Dix
By DOUG NURSE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gwinnett County Democrats were breathless with excitement as they considered the possibilities raised by the defection of state Rep. Scott Dix from the Republican Party.
"I think it's terrific for the Democrats in Gwinnett County," said Gwinnett Democratic Party Chairman Mike Berlon. "It will narrow the gap considerably. With the seats we think we could pick up, we could be the majority in Gwinnett County."
Dix, first elected in 1992, announced Friday that he was leaving the Republican Party and becoming a Democrat.
Six years ago, no Democrats were in the Gwinnett legislative delegation. The GOP currently holds a 10-6 majority. With Dix's defection, the gap narrows to 9-7. Berlon said if the Democrats can beat Republican state Rep. David Casas in November, a seat they've targeted, then it's an 8-8 split.
Gwinnett County Republican Party Chairman Buzz Brockway said that equation comes with a lot of "ifs." First, he said, Dix will have a hard time carrying his old district as a Democrat. And even if he had remained a Republican, he would have faced stiff competition from Clay Cox in the primary.
"It's a solid Republican district," Brockway said. "All of his colleagues who were going to be on the sideline now will be with Clay. The fight is on a lot earlier."
B.J. Van Gundy, former Gwinnett GOP chairman, agreed that Dix, of Lilburn, would have faced a tough primary against Cox, who ran unsuccessfully against David Scott for Congress but remains popular among the Republican faithful.
"The bottom line is Scott Dix was never a team player," Van Gundy said. "He never attended the Republican caucus here or at the Capitol. Clay Cox has got a good Republican message, and I think Scott Dix knew he was going to lose in the primary and thought he would get more votes as a Democrat."
Berlon wasn't conceding anything to the Republicans.
"He is very moderate," Berlon said. "This really gets us motivated. We're going to do whatever we can for him. We're behind him 100 percent."
State Sen. Mary Squires of Norcross was the first Democrat elected when she won a state House seat in 1998. She said Dix's defection is more evidence that Gwinnett County is more moderate than Republicans like to claim.
"The propaganda that Gwinnett County is a Republican county is false," Squires said. "The county is about half-and-half. It was Republican at one time, but it's not anymore."
Democrats welcome party-swapper Dix
By DOUG NURSE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gwinnett County Democrats were breathless with excitement as they considered the possibilities raised by the defection of state Rep. Scott Dix from the Republican Party.
"I think it's terrific for the Democrats in Gwinnett County," said Gwinnett Democratic Party Chairman Mike Berlon. "It will narrow the gap considerably. With the seats we think we could pick up, we could be the majority in Gwinnett County."
Dix, first elected in 1992, announced Friday that he was leaving the Republican Party and becoming a Democrat.
Six years ago, no Democrats were in the Gwinnett legislative delegation. The GOP currently holds a 10-6 majority. With Dix's defection, the gap narrows to 9-7. Berlon said if the Democrats can beat Republican state Rep. David Casas in November, a seat they've targeted, then it's an 8-8 split.
Gwinnett County Republican Party Chairman Buzz Brockway said that equation comes with a lot of "ifs." First, he said, Dix will have a hard time carrying his old district as a Democrat. And even if he had remained a Republican, he would have faced stiff competition from Clay Cox in the primary.
"It's a solid Republican district," Brockway said. "All of his colleagues who were going to be on the sideline now will be with Clay. The fight is on a lot earlier."
B.J. Van Gundy, former Gwinnett GOP chairman, agreed that Dix, of Lilburn, would have faced a tough primary against Cox, who ran unsuccessfully against David Scott for Congress but remains popular among the Republican faithful.
"The bottom line is Scott Dix was never a team player," Van Gundy said. "He never attended the Republican caucus here or at the Capitol. Clay Cox has got a good Republican message, and I think Scott Dix knew he was going to lose in the primary and thought he would get more votes as a Democrat."
Berlon wasn't conceding anything to the Republicans.
"He is very moderate," Berlon said. "This really gets us motivated. We're going to do whatever we can for him. We're behind him 100 percent."
State Sen. Mary Squires of Norcross was the first Democrat elected when she won a state House seat in 1998. She said Dix's defection is more evidence that Gwinnett County is more moderate than Republicans like to claim.
"The propaganda that Gwinnett County is a Republican county is false," Squires said. "The county is about half-and-half. It was Republican at one time, but it's not anymore."
