Prominent Navajo Lawmaker in Arizona Switches Political Parties: ‘Change Must Happen Now’
Arizona State Senator Carlyle Begay has switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
Begay, at 34, said to be the youngest senator in the state legislature, made the announcement in a two-minute YouTube video embedded below that has achieved about 145,000 hits so far.
Citing high unemployment and a deteriorating infrastructure and other serious issues, Begay declared that “families living in our rural and Arizona tribal communities are in a crisis … this is not how our distinguished ancestors saw our future. Change must happen now.”
Begay, who is of Navajo heritage and was born on the Navajo Nation, represents Arizona’s seventh legislative district, which includes the Navajo and Hopi reservations. He was appointed as a Democrat to the state senate as a result of a July 2013 vacancy and was subsequently elected to a full term. He plans to run for a third term in November 2016 under his new party affiliation.
“Today the Republican Party is building a positive future for the people I represent … with an open mind and heart, I clearly see the Republican Party is the party of progress, the party of opportunity, and moving forward, my party,” he concluded in his video message.
Begay apparently has been on the outs with his now-former Democrat colleagues after providing a key vote for the Republican budget that enabled the legislation to clear the chamber. “I was being isolated because I was fighting for people to have a voice,” Begay told the Arizona Republic.
His former colleagues evidently considered him a faux Democrat, however. “We never really had him as a member of our caucus,” claimed one senate Democrat leader.
“The Republican Party better reflects the values of self-determination and self-empowerment that he holds and wants to emphasize to his district,” the Republic added about the Begay party switch.
Welcome @CarlyleBegay to the #azgop! A good friend & a man who wants what's best for #AZ. #azleg pic.twitter.com/pMtuuK4K1o
— David Gowan (@DavidGowanAZ) November 23, 2015
Carlyle Begay originally sought a career in medicine, but eventually gravitated toward health care policymaking instead. “He wanted to become a doctor to tackle disparities afflicting his people, but what started as a path to medicine detoured to health policy, then health care and now public office,” the Indian Country Today Media Network reported.
The senator earned a degree in biology at the University of Arizona. He has also studied at Johns Hopkins and Harvard and worked on Capitol Hill in a healthcare-related capacity.
“I have always looked at the issues on their merit and not through the prism of ideology. I will continue to be a voice for a district that, in my opinion, is often overlooked,” he explained to the Navajo Times about his decision to leave the Democratic party.
In general, party switching while the lawmaker holds office as an incumbent is sometimes based on philosophy and/or ideology and in other scenarios prompted by ambition, careerism, and maintaining political viability. The decision can yield mixed results.
As just one example, Arlen Specter, the longtime U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, switched from Republican to Democrat in 2010 when faced with a strong GOP primary opponent, but couldn’t get out of the Democratic primary. Joe Sestak, the primary winner, went on to lose to GOP standard-bearer Pat Toomey in the general election. Toomey is currently favored for reelection in 2016. Other party switchers in both directions have been more successful than the late senator.
BREAKING: AZ State Senator Carlyle Begay announces he's switching from the Democratic to Republican party. #abc15 pic.twitter.com/7ZCSrxCOxs
— Raquel Estupinan (@RaquelEstupinan) November 23, 2015
Commenting on the Carlyle Begay party switch from Democrat to GOP, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared that “I’m proud to welcome Senator Begay to the Republican Party. Legislative District 7 is well served by Senator Begay’s commitment to individual liberty, fiscal responsibility, and personal empowerment. His service to his constituents is unwavering, and I look forward to our continued work together.”
[Image via YouTube]
