Changes

On December 9, 2010, Ellington announced that he was likely to switch to Republican affiliation to seek renewed membership in the state House of Representatives in 2011. Three other Democrats announced that same month that they had switched affiliation, [[John Alario]] of Westwego in Jefferson Parish, [[Fred Mills]] of St. Martinville, and [[Simone Champagne]] of Iberia Parish, following the departure two years earlier of John R. Smith of Leesville. On December 17, 2010, Ellington made the switch official; his move gave the state GOP its first majority in the Louisiana House since [[Reconstruction]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/louisiana_republicans_take_fir.html|title=Louisiana Republicans take first House majority since Reconstruction with latest party switch​|author=Bill Barrow|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=December 18, 2010|page=3A}}</ref> With Ellington's switch, the Louisiana House of Representatives then  had fifty-three Republicans, four members with no party affiliation, and forty-eight Democrats.

On December 9, 2010, Ellington announced that he was likely to switch to Republican affiliation to seek renewed membership in the state House of Representatives in 2011. Three other Democrats announced that same month that they had switched affiliation, [[John Alario]] of Westwego in Jefferson Parish, [[Fred Mills]] of St. Martinville, and [[Simone Champagne]] of Iberia Parish, following the departure two years earlier of John R. Smith of Leesville. On December 17, 2010, Ellington made the switch official; his move gave the state GOP its first majority in the Louisiana House since [[Reconstruction]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/12/louisiana_republicans_take_fir.html|title=Louisiana Republicans take first House majority since Reconstruction with latest party switch​|author=Bill Barrow|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=December 18, 2010|page=3A}}</ref> With Ellington's switch, the Louisiana House of Representatives then  had fifty-three Republicans, four members with no party affiliation, and forty-eight Democrats.

Ellington explained that this party switch is "historically significant, but the truth is I've been a conservative for my entire career, so it won't affect the way I vote. ... I found myself farther and farther away from what has become the liberal philosophy of the national party. My way of thinking, which falls along a more conservative line, has been shrinking within the party. At least nationally, the Republican Party seems to fit my philosophy more than the current Democratic Party."<ref name=switches>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20101218/NEWS01/12180346/Ellington-switches​|title=Ellington switches: First GOP House majority since Reconstruction|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=December 18, 2010|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]}}</ref>​

Ellington explained that this party switch is "historically significant, but the truth is I've been a conservative for my entire career, so it won't affect the way I vote. ... I found myself farther and farther away from what has become the liberal philosophy of the national party. My way of thinking, which falls along a more conservative line, has been shrinking within the party. At least nationally, the Republican Party seems to fit my philosophy more than the current Democratic Party."<ref name=switches>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20101218/NEWS01/12180346/Ellington-switches​|title=Ellington switches: First GOP House majority since Reconstruction|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|date=December 18, 2010|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]}}</ref>​

Then Speaker Jim Tucker, who had opposed Ellington's committee chairmanship in 2008 at the request of Governor Jindal, expressed "excitement" to having Ellington in the new legislative majority. "We as Republicans can continue to push for smaller, more efficient government, and we have the numbers to pass legislation that can do that if we stick together. ... It's incredible that when I started in the House [in 2001] that we have more than doubled our numbers and indicative of where the state in going. It's also a tribute to those who preceded us to helped build the party in this state, in particular [Senator] David Vitter," said Tucker.<ref name=switches/>​

Then Speaker [[Jim Tucker (Louisiana politician)|Jim Tucker]], who had opposed Ellington's committee chairmanship in 2008 at the request of Governor Jindal, expressed "excitement" to having Ellington in the new legislative majority. "We as Republicans can continue to push for smaller, more efficient government, and we have the numbers to pass legislation that can do that if we stick together. ... It's incredible that when I started in the House [in 2001] that we have more than doubled our numbers and indicative of where the state in going. It's also a tribute to those who preceded us to helped build the party in this state, in particular [Senator] David Vitter," said Tucker.<ref name=switches/>​

Then Louisiana Republican Chairman [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], issued this statement on Ellington's defection: "For more than one hundred years, the Louisiana House of Representatives has remained under Democrat control, but today that has all come to an end. In just three short years a 16-seat Democrat majority has been erased and Representative Ellington's decision to become the 53rd Republican in the House gives the GOP our first controlling majority in that body since Reconstruction. This is a great and historic day for the Republican Party of Louisiana and I'm pleased to welcome Representative Ellington to the new conservative majority in the House."<ref name=switches/>​

Then Louisiana Republican Chairman [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], issued this statement on Ellington's defection: "For more than one hundred years, the Louisiana House of Representatives has remained under Democrat control, but today that has all come to an end. In just three short years a 16-seat Democrat majority has been erased and Representative Ellington's decision to become the 53rd Republican in the House gives the GOP our first controlling majority in that body since Reconstruction. This is a great and historic day for the Republican Party of Louisiana and I'm pleased to welcome Representative Ellington to the new conservative majority in the House."<ref name=switches/>​