Longtime Democratic state Senator Don McLeary ("D"-Humboldt), the deciding vote in voiding Ophelia Ford's election, appears ready to rejoin the Senate Majority -- although this time, as a Republican.

Asked yesterday evening whether he were jumping the political ship, a weary state Sen. Don McLeary, sitting on the couch of his Humboldt farmhouse, responded, "I will make a statement about my political future (Friday) afternoon at 5."

Ah, yes. Friday at 5. The most dead spot in the weekly news cycle.

"He said Republicans had been trying to get him to come over, but that he was not going to do that," Poteet said. "I can't say what he is going to do. I have not spoken to him since then. The Gibson County Democratic Party loves him."

So, I guess the question is, will the Gibson County Democratic Party be ready to switch affiliation as well?

If their support for McLeary is unbent by this announcement, that'd be the most honest thing they could possibly do.