I never bought into the theory that the GOP duped county DA Sandra Doorley into switching parties. In case you haven’t heard it, the story goes that local Republicans threatened to get a big-name judge (Charles Siragusa is the name I usually hear) to challenge Doorley unless the DA jumped to the GOP.

And Democrats, with a much smaller war chest than Republicans, wouldn’t have the resources for the fight – spelling doom for Doorley.

I don’t buy it because Doorley is smart – she’s a district attorney, for God’s sake — and I don’t believe she’d let herself get played like that.

But I heard an interesting theory yesterday that might explain why Republicans would go after Doorley in the first place – beyond delivering a brutal beat-down to Democrats’ psyche.

Doorley was a popular Democrat with name recognition; the only Democrat, as a matter of fact, in countywide office. And she’s up for election this year – the same year that the county executive’s office is in play.

If Democrats had come out for Doorley in November, they would've almost certainly vote in the executive’s race, too – which could hurt Republican candidate Cheryl Dinolfo’s chances.

It makes sense. And if this was the Republicans’ strategy, my hat’s off to them.