Johnson Changes Tune on Hillary [Updated]

Just last week, State Representative Connie Johnson was pushing John Edwards as the only Democrat who could win Missouri in November. Well, it seems the term-limited House Minority Whip has had a change of heart.

Johnson was spotted over the weekend at a rally for Hillary Clinton. And today the Clinton campaign prepared to send out a press release touting her endorsement.

But just a few months ago, Johnson said Hillary Clinton would kill Missouri Democrats chances of winning back the governor’s mansion and the house and senate.

Here’s what she told CNN on October 19, 2007:

“Here’s the deal — If we don’t have a good person at the top of the ticket – someone who can help stop the hemorrhaging in Missouri, then we’ll go red,” Missouri state Minority Whip Connie Johnson said. “It’s as simple as that. And it will affect state reps, state senators, treasurers, governors, everybody.

“If Hillary comes to a state like Missouri, we can write it off,” Johnson added, referring to Democratic field’s frontrunner, Hillary Clinton.

UPDATE: Johnson tells PubDef that it is Clinton’s health care plan that has attracted her support.

“Hillary’s is closer to John’s,” said Johnson in a phone interview.

Johnson said she feels that both Clinton and Obama “have their liabilities and they both have assets. At the end of the day, they both have to work together” to get a Democrat in the White House.