Together, these two steps would make the state's representative politics more moderate, says James Mayer, California Forward's director.

ECONOMIST: California

The FDP is the closest and longest-standing representative of pro-market liberalism in German politics.

FORBES: Europe's Election Rumble: Noise, Then Fury?

The expectation is that, because Vermont is such a strongly Democratic state, leaving the Republican Party probably won't hurt him all that much back in his home state--at least that's what most people familiar with Vermont politics believe, including, by the way Representative Bernie Sanders, who is Vermont's independent member of the House of Represenatives.

CNN: Jonathan Karl: Senator Jeffords likely to change to Independent

Representative ZOE LOFGREN (Democrat, California): It's just politics.

NPR: Immigration Issue Continues to Bedevil Congress

Representative-Elect MURPHY: Well, they expect me to now put the partisan politics aside and really move our country forward in a new direction.

NPR: Patrick Murphy: From Iraq War to Congress