Former Republican Rep. Jim Leach (Iowa) endorsed Democratic candidate Barack Obama for president Tuesday, joining a small group of unreliable, liberal Republicans who are calling themselves “Republicans for Obama.”
One of the "Republicans" the Obama campaign is touting as a member of "Republicans for Obama" even dropped his GOP affiliation in 2007.
Leach made his endorsement announcement in a conference call arranged by the Obama campaign. “I have no doubt that this leadership is the leadership we need and that the world is crying out for,” he said.
Republicans for Obama is being led by Leach, former Rhode Island Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who changed his political affiliation from “Republican” to “Independent” last year, and Rita Houser, a woman who raised significant amounts of money for President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush’s presidential race in 2000. In 2004, however, Houser backed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry for president.
An official “Republicans for Obama” website is expected to be rolled out next week.
