Down one seat in state Senate, Republicans court conservative Democrat Lee — he says no

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010 | 11 a.m.

State Sen. John Lee, a businessman who aspires to higher office, confirmed today that he has received as many as a half-dozen calls to switch to the GOP, which would change control of the upper house. The Democrats' 11-10 lead makes the story even more interesting -- more significant than in 2002 when Democratic state Sen. Ray Shaffer became a Republican, boosting the GOP majority to 13.

"I've had a few inquiries in that area," Lee, who might want to run for Congress in 2012, told me. But, he added, "I have not entertained them. I feel I can work with this party. (The GOP) is not a better use of me."

Lee, who is slated to chair Government Affairs in 2011, insisted he had not given any sustenance to those who called, but the entreaties "kept getting higher and higher up." He would not identify the suitors, but said his former colleague, Mark Amodei, now the GOP chairman, was not among them. Amodei, contacted this morning, said he had no knowledge of the effort.

"I'm satisfied," said Lee.

Lee also may realize that party-switching can be a liability. It was for Shaffer in 2004. Shaffer was crushed when he ran for re-election as a Republican, losing to a guy by the name of....John Lee.