Senator Nancy Riley Switches to Democratic Party

Following the Primary Election, State Senator Nancy Riley announced she was switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party. She was an unsuccessful candidate for Lt. Governor. The switch is a big deal. Just increasing the number of Senators in the State Senate by one makes it a little harder for Republicans to "take over" the Senate (i.e., gain a majority of members). Counting Riley, there are now 26 Democrats to 22 Republicans. However, six Senate seats held by Democrats are open because those Democrats couldn't run for re-election due to term limits. She said she was switching because she feels there is no place in the Republican Party for moderates, because Republicans are undermining public education and because she feels the party has a lack of compassion for people. She also said part of her problem with the party was because she was a woman. (Could that mean the Republican Party is not women friendly? What party IS?)