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Former Democratic congressman switches party

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    Rep. Artur Davis on why he's now part of the GOP

  • Duration 5:15
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Once a Democrat now Republican in my next guest switching parties and switching -- but here's the bank.

He's not just any guy he was once called the Obama of Alabama so why the change of heart.

-- Davis with us now ordered -- to have you -- -- -- Neil good to Tutsi.

The you know I've made a move I think the millions of Americans have made in the last several readers.

53%.

Of people in this country voted for Barack Obama.

If the time 51%.

Said they were Democrats will those numbers have gone south and -- -- years.

So I'm one of millions of people who frankly didn't get what we voted for.

A lot of people and mild state of Alabama fifteen democratic elected officials have now.

Become Republicans the guy defeated the in the democratic primary now works for the Republican.

Governor to defeated him a lot of us have made this move in some -- -- perform.

For a variety of reasons I can only speak for myself but.

I worked hard for Barack Obama for years ago because.

I thought he would bring this country together.

And I thought he would change the way we talk to each other as Americans and I thought he would change the way that we see ourselves.

-- there are many virtues around the president of -- respect for the president but that's not the country the president has given us.

So it's not something's in my case I woke up overnight and decided it's.

Period of thinking about a lot of issues over a period of time frankly having -- Benefit.

-- and force a luxury if you will kind of being in the sidelines the last two years.

But this is where I feel more comfortable today.

You know of cynics will hear you -- -- and say well.

This is about political survival and keeping his political options open.

Not cool to be a Democrat in your neck of the words -- better to be a Republican right now he's.

Well Neil had no longer live in the state of Alabama my wife and I live in Virginia now.

And Republicans control about 60% of the vote and Alabama they're not quite so lucky in Virginia this is state that if any thing lean slightly democratic now.

-- I've said to several people in the last several days of all I wanted to do was to hold the political office I had very easy route to do that.

I'll -- to do is go back to Alabama and run all around the seventh congressional district saying how sorry I wasn't doing the biggest Mallorca open about your son bag in my do you minister and a big US congressman again -- -- one -- six million braves -- subjects and I was important to me though.

I'm sorry sir you were such a high profile backer of the president.

And add sort of represented -- guess is that -- that the new south.

That was rallying around.

An African American who could be the first in the White House but just in case.

When did it start going bad for you.

Well it became very clear in 2009 and 2010 -- that the agenda of the democratic parting.

Was frankly not the agenda that I thought I would city.

I may be a minority in this regard but I'm one of the people who supported Barack Obama because I thought that he was on senator.

I thought that he was someone who.

Might be running to the left in the primaries to win the nomination I got that but I believed him when he said he wanted to turn the page.

Thought that he was going to be a pro growth president thought that his focus at all times was going to be national unity and bringing the country together.

And I -- an enormous amount of potential.

What did we say we saw a very different path.

2009 and 2010 we saw the Democratic Party decide the for the first time -- our country's history.

It was going to push through a major piece of domestic legislation that over 50% of the country opposed.

Better known as Obama care the Affordable Care Act.

And so many times in 2009 and 2010 and I heard people on the Democratic Party say.

All we know this is unpopular we know people don't support this but sometimes politicians just have to do that.

Will the reality is.

Our presidents in the past have felt it was important to bring us together and to tried to build a consensus and reach across party lines.

I didn't see that effort.

I voted against Obama care.

But against -- gradual process over a period of time and I emphasize the last two years when you're in office.

Of course you have to say things and the pleasing your party it's a two team sport some claps but the reality is when you're out of office -- have a chance to think about the direction of our country.

The drift of our country and and the fact that the economy today.

Well people say it's recovery people like you making called recovery as we're doing OK -- -- people walking around this country we're not doing okay.

And the mark is beginning to move back now they're all kinds of predictions that.

We could lurch back into a place we don't want to be in the next several months policies we have in place are consistently working.

I can you view laundry list but what we're doing is not working and not someone who -- plasma cells being on the center right.

There is no center right from the Democratic Party and there is in the Republican Party and I want help them be a part of it.

Now -- Davis thank you very much thank you --

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