Johnson County Dist. Atty. Paul Morrison told an online audience Thursday that he became a Democrat recently to run for Kansas attorney general mainly for philosophical, rather than political, reasons.

“Actually, the decision to switch parties was only made within the last few weeks,” the former Republican said in an online chat on the Journal-World’s Web site.

“I did consider challenging (Republican incumbent Phill) Kline in a primary, but ultimately I felt most comfortable becoming a Democrat because it fit my beliefs best,” Morrison wrote.

Morrison announced late last month that he was switching parties to run in 2006 against Kline, who has a strong following among conservative Republicans.

Morrison, who has been Johnson County’s district attorney 15 years, took nearly 20 questions during the chat from readers who listed hometowns spanning Kansas from Overland Park to Dodge City.

During the chat, a questioner told Morrison he should resign because he changed parties only months after winning re-election in a strongly Republican county.

Morrison disagreed.

Morrsion answers reader's questions online about his campaign.

“I know that I can be just as effective a prosecutor whether a Democrat or Republican,” he wrote. “Cases should be handled the same either way, I don’t think partisan politics should play a role in how a case is prosecuted.”

A questioner from Overland Park took Morrison to task for telling an area newspaper he didn’t become a Democrat to get more votes.

“How do you defend that quote when it is pure political convenience to switch parties from Republican (the party for which I voted for you) to Democrat. The motive is clear – to get votes. How can you say you are not a politician with such a pure political move?” the questioner wrote.

“I do not make decisions based on politics,” Morrison wrote.

• 6News video: Democrat Paul Morrison discusses party switch in online chat (11-10-05)
• Chat transcript with Paul Morrison, Democratic candidate for attorney general (11-10-05)

“In fact I have made many decisions over the years that have not helped me politically, I made them because I thought they were the right thing to do. I think that is one attribute that separates me from my opponent.”

Morrison also said he would emphasize his own background as a prosecutor and Kline’s lack of experience in law enforcement.

“I don’t think he has done much in the public safety arena other than posture,” Morrison said.

The full transcript of the chat is available at http://www2.ljworld.com/news/chats/.