Paulding County sheriff switches to Republican Party

DALLAS - Paulding County Sheriff Bruce Harris has announced that he&#39;s switching to the Republican Party. <br> <br> Harris -- who made the announcement with Governor-elect Sonny Perdue by his side -- says, ``You listen to your voters; your voters tell you what to do.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Harris, a 55-year-old former State Patrol trooper and Paulding County school teacher, has been sheriff since 1993. <br> <br> Perdue, who was elected in November as Georgia&#39;s first Republican governor in 130 years, says ``The state has matured to where the term &#39;party-switcher&#39; doesn&#39;t have a pejorative tone.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Perdue switched parties in 1998 when he was a state senator.