When Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jose Evans switched to the Republican Party early this week, it took the media by storm and apparently shocked Marion County Democrats. However, no one should take those shocked Democrats seriously.

Why? Because “Establishment Democrats” only love you when you act according to their “sit down and shut up” policy. They benefit from that each election year with the mindless practice of straight ticket voting in Marion County. These Establishment Democrats are just as notorious for institutions that belittle individuality as well (read 21st century unionism and political correctness, for example). For Jose Evans, it is obvious that he had enough and Democrats should have seen that coming.

Jon Murray of the IndyStar captured the most important and revealing indication of this:

“Becoming a Republican gives me more of a voice,” [Evans] said, even if it’s in the council’s minority.

Evans said he was seeking “more of a voice.” Despite the GOP’s minority status.

In other words, Jose Evans, who the media cannot report one word about without mentioning him being an American of Hispanic and African heritage, had less of a voice with the Democrat Party. We conservatives have known all along, but perhaps this teachable moment, is why the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, got involved immediately. As Jim Shella of WISHTV reported on the same day of the switch, “Evans is scheduled to meet with GOP National Chairman Reince Priebus who is coming to Indianapolis to meet with state GOP leaders.” That was quick.

In that report by Shella, he quotes Evans as saying “I’ve become frustrated with political games being played by the Democratic Party, the lack of ideas, the infighting.” This is important. Just as we suspected, the Marion County (and dare I say Democrat party leaders in general?) care less about what someone like Jose Evans thinks and believes and care MORE about control over such people.

The worst of the Democrat party, especially their mouthpieces, love, and I mean love in the most lustful, unhealthy, and grotesque way possible, to compare Republicans and conservatives to slaveholders, Jim Crow supporters, and insensitive racists. Never mind the fact that the Democrat idol, Big Government, has actually been the worst systematic perpetrator, enabler, and enforcer of those horrible and oppressive institutions (and many more!). Yet they want control here and Jose Evans had the courage to deny them of that.

So what happens when a Clarence Thomas, a Jose Evans, or even a Robert Griffin III is even hinted at holding Republican-leanings? The Democrats, the party of compassion and tolerance (please hold your laughter), put aside policy and any potential common ground and they denigrate the individual. They then have the audacity to claim they are “a party of ideas.” And they might be, but they are generally bad and unsustainable ones that give someone else the power you should have.

With their margin only a slim 15-14 majority now, Marion County Democrat Chairman, Joel Miller tried to take this issue to triage saying “I have confidence that the Democratic Party is a party of ideas and that the Democratic Party is a progressive party and the right party to lead the city.” Notice that Miller didn’t have one example of an idea to share, probably because he’s been too busy drafting pitiful excuses as to why his party should oppose (Republican) Mayor Ballard’s amazing number of bipartisan policies for development and business projects. Doesn’t Miller’s quote kind of drone on like something he repeats to himself in a corner?

In any case, whatever specific policies he shares and then others he feels moderate about, he can rest easy because it’s no coincidence that the same Republican party that pushes limited government to make way for free markets will be more than happy to embrace Jose Evans’ voice, experience, and heritage in this market of political ideas.  As for Evans, he ignored the attack dog Democrats and he reassured voters that as the IndyStar paraphrased him saying “he has conservative credibility, going so far as to say he’s had conservative leanings since college, opposing abortion and considering God and small government to be high priorities.” That is refreshing, even if he also said he “isn’t on the far right.”

Credit for this party switch may be due to many influences, but a prevailing theme seems to be the successful work by the Republican Party here in Indiana. As a result, the GOP may indeed have some opportunities ahead to encourage voters to “rediscover the Republican brand” (and more importantly, it’s values and ideals) as Ronald Reagan did.