Muldowney changes his party

August 10, 2000

Muldowney changes his party

By SCOTT BUTKI / Staff Writer

Saying he no longer agrees with the party's principles, long-time Democrat Paul D. Muldowney, 65, has changed his affiliation to Republican.

As a Democrat for most of his life he has run for office and held state office as a delegate.

However, he has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1960, when he voted against nominee President John F. Kennedy, he said.

"That's a heck of a poor record for a democrat," he said. "I vote like a republican and think like a republican."

He remained registered Democrat, though, because one can get more accomplished in Maryland politics as a Democrat since it is such an overwhelmingly democratic state, he said.

He changed his affiliation last week.

Asked if he has plans to run for office under the new affiliation he would only say, "I make no promises about the future."

Muldowney said he presently does not agree with anything the Democratic Party stands for, including their positions on abortion and guns.

He is a fiscal conservative who believes that when the government has a surplus it should give the money back to the people, he said.

Asked why he chose to change his party now he said, "It is just time." His decision had nothing to do with local party politics or any particular political personalities, he said.

Muldowney served in the House of Delegates from 1979 to 1986 before losing to current Del. D. Bruce Poole, D-Washington, in a Democratic primary. Since then he ran unsuccessful campaigns for the state Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. He also has been a member of the Washington County Gaming Commission.

He ran against Del. John P. Donoghue, D-Washington, in the Democratic primary in fall 1998 but lost. He has also unsuccessfully run as a write-in candidate for state office.

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