US Rep. Rodney Alexander, seeking reelection to his 5th Congressional District seat, changed party affiliations at the last hour during qualification. His jump from Democrat to Republican is not likely to hurt his chances and he is predicted to easily win on Tuesday against his opponents. According to a story in The Advocate:

The 5th District has been one of the poorest regions in the nation since Reconstruction. Largely Democratic but rural and Protestant, this part of the Bible Belt is ardently pro-guns, anti-abortion and against gay marriage.

“We’re Democrats who vote on moral and social issues,” [state Rep. Francis] Thompson [D - Delhi] said. “We’re switching parties all the time.”

Controversy abounds about money Alexander raised while campaigning as a Democrat:

During that crucial first 10 weeks of the campaign, when he and [Republican challenger Jock] Scott were roughly equal in fund-raising, Alexander relied on $890,000 contributed by traditional Democratic Party allies, such as organized labor and trial lawyers.

Alexander used that money to buy the commercials, the mail-outs and the opinion polls his challengers could not afford, the FEC records showed.

Alexander repeatedly has promised to return Democratic donations. But as of Oct. 13, the latest records available, Alexander had returned only $6,800 out of the $1 million raised before he switched parties.