Republican Rep. to switch to Independent Party

[Broca]

Updated: 7/8/2008 11:42:02 AM

Wood to leave Republican party

By Eric Lindquist
Leader-Telegram staff
After 5 1/2 years of wrestling with his own political party in addition to the opposition party, Republican state Rep. Jeff Wood of Chippewa Falls announced Tuesday he will run as an independent in the fall election.

The three-term representative of the 67th Assembly District said the difficult decision was a matter of conscience. He no longer could justify membership in a party he doesn't believe in anymore.

"It all comes down to fiscal responsibility and what our party is doing with this country at the national level mostly," Wood said. "This used to be a fiscally conservative party. It's not anymore."

Wood said he has been upset by such national GOP initiatives as starting a war without a clear exit strategy, granting retroactive immunity for eavesdropping telecommunications companies, promoting a national identification cards and suspending habeas corpus for detainees.


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