Democrat State Representative Switches to GOP

Rep. J.M. Lozano

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ Democratic state Rep. J. M. Lozano will switch parties and become a Republican, further padding the GOP super-majority in the Texas House.

A spokesman said Monday that Lozano plans to announce his decision Thursday in Austin and in his Gulf Coast home district, which includes Kingsville.

The move gives the Republicans 102 seats of the House’s 150, but that will only matter if a special session is called.

Lozano filed for re-election as a Democrat on Nov. 30, just three days after the filing period opened. A second filing period has begun, however, after a legal battle over the Texas redistricting maps delayed the state’s primary.

Lozano spokesman Craig Murphy said Lozano was persuaded to switch following conversations with George P. Bush, nephew of former President George W. Bush.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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