Tony Bouie

The Maricopa County Republican Committee and Tony Bouie have been fighting.  This week they have something in common as they both end up on the same side of this week's Winners & Losers.

Democrat turned Republican Tony Bouie had a nice story about the “first time” he became a Republican.  The story went Bouie was playing professional football for the Tamp Bay Buccaneers when he received his first check.  He went to the to the Buccaneers accountant and said there was a problem, half his check was missing.  When it was explained the other half went towards taxes Bouie went and reregistered as a Republican, because they believed in lower taxes.

Great story, there is just one small problem with that story.  Voter registration is public record and can easily checked.  And sure enough a check of Bouie’s registration in Florida shows he was always registered as a Democrat while there.  Bouie’s response to the new public findings?

“Unfortunately, I did not complete the voter registration paperwork to make this switch official.  This left my party affiliation officially unchanged.”

Bouie maintains this does not change his conservative views, and he may be right.  But when will candidates and politicians realize, it’s always easier to just tell the truth up front. 

Tony Bouie was a Democrat earlier this year, but has since switched to the Republican Party and is running for state Representative against Stan Crump and Carl Seel.

Bouie has been welcomed with open arms by many of those who have taken the time to sit down with him, hear his story and to ask where he stands on a lot of the issues.  Conservatives such as Congressman John Shadegg and state Senator Pam Gorman have come out and endorsed Bouie.  Republican leaning organizations such as the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, the NFIB and the Arizona Realtors have also come out and endorsed Bouie in his campaign.

But not all conservatives are welcoming Bouie with open arms.