I guess this is part of playing politics

I admit it is one way to insure an easier path for your "real" candidate. Yesterday's election was more than just voting for your favorite person. Souce phillyburbs

Republicans switched for variety of reasons

By JENNA PORTNOY
The Intelligencer

Republicans-turned-Democrats flocked to the polls Tuesday for lots of reasons.

Some became disillusioned with the GOP. Some admitted they wanted to clear their real favorite's path to the White House in November. And others simply wanted a say in the historic primary.

In Bucks and Montgomery counties, the race attracted 50,000 new Democrats to the party. Statewide, they were joined by another 100,000.

One of them, Dan Henrich of Upper Moreland, called himself a “Democrat for the day.”

Last month he switched his party registration from Republican to vote for Barack Obama because in Pennsylvania voters must be registered members of a political party to vote in that party's primary.

“I'm not thrilled with [John] McCain,” he said. “I think Obama will bring a good amount of reform. Hillary [Clinton] makes me sick.”

But the 20-year-old Temple University political science student is a Republican at heart, especially when it comes to abortion.

“I am strongly pro-life,” said Henrich, who foresees the next president wielding tremendous influence in this area given the advanced ages of several Supreme Court justices.

He plans to go back to the GOP, primarily for local election reasons, but is still undecided if the November general election battle is between McCain and Obama.

Henrich said he does have reservations about the Arizona senator, especially over the war in Iraq and his plan to continue some Bush policies. But a McCain-Clinton race is a no-brainer for him.

Republican re-registration cards were available at every polling place, geared toward people like Henrich who have strayed from the flock for this monumental day but are truly Republicans. The message is clear — we will welcome you back with open arms.

In Langhorne, more than a dozen voters in the borough snatched forms to re-register as Republicans after casting their votes for one of the two Democrat candidates, poll workers said.