Billionaire Dem Donor Endorses Republican

(Richmond, Virginia) It's the economy, stupid.

A billionaire co-founder of the Black Entertainment Television network and an influential Democratic donor on Monday endorsed Republican Bob McDonnell for governor.

Sheila Johnson of The Plains, the second-largest individual donor to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and a benefactor of prominent Democrats including Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb, appeared with McDonnell in Richmond.

"I have been a lifelong Democrat and I'm still a Democrat," she said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Johnson said she favors McDonnell over his Democratic opponent, R. Creigh Deeds, because she thinks the Republican can turn around the state's ailing economy.

Whaddya think? Are we seeing a new attitude toward hopey-changey or is this just a minor chink in Democrat armor?