Five Republican judges (From Alabama) switch to Democratic Party

MONTGOMERY -- Five Republican judges in Alabama have switched to the Democratic Party.

The executive committee of the Alabama Democratic Party voted Friday in Montgomery to accept four Jefferson County judges and one Montgomery County judge into the party so they can run as Democrats in 2010.

The Jefferson County party switchers are Circuit Judges Dan King and Virginia Vinson and District Judges Eric Fancher and Sheldon Watkins. The party switcher from Montgomery County is Circuit Judge William Shashy.

The executive board also voted to accept former Republican state Rep. Johnny Ford of Tuskegee into the party. That will allow Ford to run for a state Senate seat next year as a Democrat.