HOMEWOOD, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama Republicans already control the
Statehouse, and they say they're making gains in local offices,
too.

The chairman of the state GOP, Bill Armistead, says 50 elected
officials have joined the party since last year's election. He says
49 of those people are former Democrats, and the other was an
independent.

More than a dozen party and elected officials joined Armistead
during a news conference Friday at party headquarters to announce
the gains.

Armistead says he hopes conservative Democrats will make the
switch to the Republican Party as the Democratic Party opens
qualifying on Saturday.

He says Democrats who see the Republican label just as a way to win an election need not apply.