A cursory Google search for "michigan state representative jim slezak" will produce plenty of evidence that indeed one "Honorable Jim Slezak" did represent Michigan's 50th State House District from January 1, 2009 to January 1, 2011.  That same search would produce evidence that this same Rep. Slezak introduced a resolution in October 2009 to place the Michigan Personhood Initiative on the state's 2010 ballot.  That same search would also reveal that Jim Slezak ran unsuccessfully as a primary challenger to Paula Zelenko for the right to fill the 26th State Senate seat being vacated by the term-limited Deb Cherry.

But, yeah, he did all of those things as a Democrat!

True enough, but he's not a Democrat anymore.  And quite frankly, that's a trend that's been seen nationwide (with the obvious exception of Arlen Specter).

Evidently, according to an APNewsBreak from about 05:05 this morning, Slezak is now the latest former-Democrat to walk away from a political party that long ago turned its back on its original principles.

In a press release given to the AP, Slezak said that he's switching parties because President Obama and other national Democrat leaders "have failed our community":

Davison, MI - Today former Democrat State Representative Jim Slezak switched parties and announced for Congress as a Republican in the 5th Congressional District of Michigan.

"I am announcing today for Congress in the 5th Congressional District as a Republican because President Obama and national Democrat leaders have failed our community.  He came to Flint on the campaign trail, but has ignored us as President while unemployment and government spending have skyrocketed.  We need a Congressman who puts our community first," said former Democrat State Representative Jim Slezak.

Slezak continued, "President Obama and national Democrats are not up to the task of leading our country.  They have shown no vision, no leadership, and no understanding of the problems families, small businesses, and the hard working men and women of Michigan face every day.

President Obama hasn't been to Flint since he was elected.  He's found time to go to Holland on the west side of the state twice. But not once has he been to Flint to work with us on job creation.

The failure of national Democrats have driven me, and a lot of hard working families, to look at our priorities.  My priorities are helping the communities by getting people back to work and getting government spending under control."

Jim Slezak served as a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives in the 50th District.  He is pro-life, pro 2nd Amendment, pro-worker candidate for Congress.

Slezak's website will be live here at 1pm today:  http://www.slezakforcongress.com

Not that this is actually a surprise.  As a Republican Precinct Delegate in my hometown, I've talked with several democrats who are disgusted with the guy, sold to them as "the chosen one," who has shown zero aptitude for the job he was elected to, and who has been in perpetual campaign mode since being elected . . . when he hasn't been on vacation.

One problem that Slezak is going to face, though, is the shortsighted twits who redrew Michigan's congressional districts this past summer redrew the 5th to be more solidly democrat than it was under Kildee, and that means that any republican is facing an uphill battle to flip this seat.  The upside is that BHO's approval ratings are so dismal right now that any credible republican with a pulse can probably flip the White House . . . and that should filter downticket, even in Flint.