Serial Loser And Fence-Jumper Artur Davis Is Looking For Another Political Comeback

Yesterday we pointed out how unabashed progressive Democrat Cyndi Munson beat a right-wing Republican kook, who had the full backing of the Oklahoma state GOP establishment, for a state legislative seat. Cyndi isn't the kind of GOP-lite Democrat-- neither a Blue Dog nor a New Dem-- that old-school conservative Democratic insiders like Chuck Schumer, Steve Israel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz insist is the only kind of Democrat who can win in red states and districts. That said, a favorite of Schumer/Israel/Wasserman Schultz Democratic insiders, Artur Davis, is back in the Democratic Party and back in Alabama-- and running for office again.

Why would Democrats take him back? Oh, right, the Beltway insiders love him. In fact he first won his D+17/67.1% black congressional district in Alabama by being the AIPAC patsy in their vicious attack on civil rights activist and incumbent Earl Hilliard, after he voted against a bill to increase already-bloated military spending to Israel. After Davis won the seat, he joined the right-of-center, corporately owned New Dems. He became co-chair of the odious organization and built a conservative record, often voting with Republicans against LGBT equality and against health care reform. He was one of the few Democrats to vote against the Affordable Care Act, another of many examples of how he put a premium on his own sick careerism at the expense of his constituents. 

Davis was always wanting to run for something statewide, and in 2010 he ran for governor. He was thoroughly beaten in the Democratic primary by populist Agricultural Commissioner Ron Sparks. Sparks beat him 62.4-37.6%, something that made complete sense to everyone but the Beltway insider elites. Even the Democratic voters in his own congressional district backed Sparks against him, with majorities in 10 of the 12 counties that make up AL-07.

Davis then moved to Virginia and joined the Republican Party, which used him to savagely attack Obama, dangling a congressional nomination under his nose. He was on Romney's Black Leadership Council along with political sociopaths Allen West (a war criminal), black teabagger Tim Scott and Rick Scott's lieutenant governor, Jennifer Carroll (until she was thrown overboard after a scheme she masterminded for stealing from veterans was exposed). 

Anyway, the Virginia Republicans just played Davis for a fool, and didn't coddle him the way the DCCC and DNC always did, and he soon moved back to Alabama with his tail between his legs and ran for mayor of Montgomery against incumbent Todd Strange. Davis claimed he had a poll showing the two Republicans would have a runoff, but Strange took 57% in the first round (to Davis' meager 27%) and was elected to a third term outright. (Davis spent the last few days of the race explaining why his credit card was found on the Ashley Madison dating website.) Davis' entire record of political contributions:

After losing, Davis immediately declared he would run for mayor again in four years. But why wait? He switched back to the Democratic Party and now wants to run for a seat on the Montgomery County Commission. The primary against incumbent Dan Harris would be in March. Davis says he'll buy a house in the district.

Artur Davis may be returning to Alabama politics quicker than anticipated, this time in a run for a seat on the Montgomery County Commission.

Former mayoral opponent Dan Harris’ seat, to be exact.

Davis confirmed Tuesday he has done everything but commit to running for Commission Vice Chairman Harris’ District 1 seat.

The former Democratic U.S. representative also confirmed a return to the Democratic Party after switching to the Republican side in 2012.

“I have received a great deal of encouragement from my supporters in the mayor’s race to not only stay involved politically but to run for County Commission in District 1 in the March primary,” Davis said.

...One person interested in Davis’ political switch is District 1 incumbent Harris.

“That’d be interesting to see him return to the Democratic Party,” Harris said. “That’s a feat within itself. If you’re a Republican, how are you going to run as a Democrat?”

Harris also said he has no problem with Davis running for his seat-- a seat Harris intends to keep.

“It’s a free country,” Harris said. “Everybody is entitled to run. Everybody who can qualify. I do intend to qualify and seek re-election.”

The primary obstacle Davis faces to qualify is residency.

Davis said he has lived in Montgomery for 20 years, but in order to qualify, he must live in District 1 for one year ending on the date he would take office-- November 2016-- if elected.

With Davis buying a house in District 1 this month, all signs point to him officially announcing his candidacy soon.

AL-07, Davis' former district, is incredibly gerrymandered to try to squeeze as many African-Americans into one district as is geographically possible. And western and southern Montgomery are part of it. The current rep is another conservative New Dem, Terri Sewell, who isn't great, but isn't nearly as horrible as Davis. This Davis: