The 2006 mid-term elections are going down as having one of the most virulent campaign seasons in the last 100 years. Republicans have been the gravely wounded targets but it does not mean that Democratic incumbents and candidates have not come out hurting and smarting from the bloodfest. Because, it has been a horrendously bloody political season that started with the downfall of Jack Abramoff.

We can say that, well, the republicans were asking for it. I am not one to be beneath smacking down conservative hypocrites like Abramoff, Foley or Craig. As you well know though, I am also as eager to smack Democrats and liberal bloggers hypocrites.

Which is why, instead of smacking, I want to put a word of caution ... 19 days before the elections.

Democrats may well end up smarting, and not in a good way, from what I can only describe as their embrace tactics from the school of Karl Rove politics. This political season has been an all out war by Democrats. They are kicking ass indeed, but it may come back to haunt them.

Here's the problem:

In their eagerness to get elected anybody who calls themselves these days a Democrat, they are helping elect the rejects of the Replican party, people who not until they saw a political opportunity to switch, had no reason to call themselves a Democrat.

Party switching is not a new concept. Historically though, the wave has been against Democrats : Since the 1960's, and after the success of the Civil Rights Movement, most of party swtichers were Democrats (candidates and incumbents) bolting to the Republican party.

Which is why the 2006 midterm elections are historically important.

These midterms have had an unprecedented amount of Republicans switching to the Democratic party --and it's not just candidates running for Congress. There are fantastic cases like the one of Washington state representative Rodney Tom. In These Times showcases him in an excellent article about how most of the switchers are in local and state governments.

Now running for state Senate as a Democrat, [Rodney Tom] represents a district of suburbs that was once lopsidedly Republican. But Tom says voters there generally back abortion rights, nondiscrimination for gay people, balanced budgets and investment in state infrastructure, such as transportation projects. That has soured them on today’s conservatives. “For me to be effective for my constituents,” he added, “I need to be a Democrat.”

Tom’s switch underscores a shift in allegiances away from the GOP among well-educated, upper-middle class voters based in part on the strident antigay and antiabortion stands of Republicans.

Who wouldn't want a guy like that in the Democratic party?

Yet, this is where I am being realistic : In actively pursuing "party switchers", especially for Congress, the Democratic party (and by extension the "netroots") may be pushing for some people who had no reason to call themselves a Democrats until they found an opportunity to win. And when you become a cheerleader for people like this, you may well be helping elect people who are not equipped with the progressive values and practices that would make them true representatives of the spirit of the party.

There are a few of these people who I have never felt comfortable with. To tell you the truth, there are very few times I have felt comfortable with candidates and incumbents. It's maybe the fact that I regard with suspicion most people who will do anything to run for office and get elected.

That said, the point of this post is that there is a huge ideological shift happening right now within the Democratic party. Most of it is good with candidates like Jim Webb and incumbents like Rodney Tom. Most of it.

In the long run though it may well mean that progressives within the Democratic party may well need to be more vigilant about incumbents in both parties, not just the Republican. It may well be that "party of opposition" is being redfined to the point it may well not have anything to do with a party after all.

It may well be that we need to start thinking about independents in a whole new way.

See also:

The Hill, When majorities are thin, the switchers can be kings

Smirking Chimp, Republicans Running as Democrats

Salon.com, Kansas Republicans evolve -- into Democrats

An interesting look from the dark side : How David Duke and the Born-Agains Wrecked Louisiana's GOP