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.


Full Story at: http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-news.asp?id=BH4S29NGE5D

[sybylla]

1. Great news!

Now maybe Suder will stop following him around west central Wisconsin like he's the man's love slave.

Seems to be about the only legal way to take care of a stalking legislator. Suder's girlfriend can't seem to get rid of him and his abusive ways through legal means when all his friends sit in the courthouses.

[ewagner]

2. Watch

Suder run away from him like he has the plague!

Nothing scares Scotty more than being weaned from the GOP Campaign money tit....:scared:

[Broca]

3. This is important at the control level.

Now the Democrats only need to pick up two to control the assembly and committee work (think). I suspect if re-elected he will continue to lean republican. With the deadline now past the republicans will only be able to field a write-in so he timed it to his advantage.

[MadAsHell]

4. I believe that will be the upshot of it but ...

I think he could still choose to caucus with the Repubs if he wanted to.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

5. PLEASE tell me there's a Democrat on the ballot...

If I recall correctly, it's too late for the Republicans to field a replacement candidate, which means that voters will will have choice between a Democrat and a turn-coat Republican. Maybe enough party faithful will sit this one out -- enough to let us pick up a seat.

[dragonlady]

6. Sorry, no

Yesterday was the last day to file for candidacy. In the 67th district the only other candidate is a Libertarian from Chippewa Falls named Andrew McKenzie. I don't remember offhand how many nomination signatures are required, but I don't think Andrew's 9 will cut it, so barring a strong write-in effort, it looks as though Mr. Wood has it made.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. Somebody kick Joe Winneke's ass...

Unforgivably stupid. There should ALWAYS be a Democrat on the ballot in races like these, and for precisely that reason. Targeting races is a sucker's bet. You have to compete in every district.

[undeterred]

8. If you'll pin him down...

I'm sure there will be plenty of volunteers! :evilgrin:

[Jackpine Radical]

12. What, and wreck a perfectly good pair of steel-toed boots?

Aaaak, who'd want to clean them after that?

[dragonlady]

9. Don't know about Joe, but

I know our legislators have been working hard to find candidates to fill every slot. For the Senate we are running Democrats in every seat up for election this year except districts 2, 14, and 20 (13 of 16, or 81%). In the Assembly we have Democrats contesting in all but 33, 58, 59, 67, 84, and 99 (93 of 99, or 94%).

:dem:

[undeterred]

10. I am delighted to see a Democrat running against Steve Nass in AD31

I would love to see him out.

http://elections.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=11290&locid=47

:hi:

[Jackpine Radical]

11. We couldn't find one.

There was talk of running our county vice-chair just to make the Repugs spend a few bucks, and our retired sheriff talked about running NEXT time, but nobody wanted to run in the 67th. We tried to make Roberta Rasmus run again, but she kept too good an eye on her kids & we were unable to kidnap one as leverage.

[sybylla]

13. Don't know if you saw this - Mark Pocan said this in a fundraising e-mail today

Tuesday, we broke the news that 67th Assembly district Republican Representative Jeff Wood bolted his party and is now running as an Independent candidate. Wood bucked the GOP on Compassionate Care for Rape Victims legislation, among other issues.

Wood left the party that cancelled more legislative session days than we actually worked. In the decade I've served in the State Assembly, I've never seen an Assembly Representative leave his or her own party. To punish him for his independence, the Republican Party sent Wood a letter essentially telling him they would challenge his entry on the ballot as an Independent candidate.

I know I've heard area legislators say that Jeff Wood was the Republican we least needed to worry about finding someone to run against because he just didn't vote that way and disagreed with his party more than he agreed with them.

But you're right. Knowing now that he's running as an independent, it could have been a much easier pickup than if he's stayed on the Republican ballot. Most of us count ourselves pretty lucky to have almost every seat challenged. In 2004 we hardly managed to drum up half the candidates necessary to contest all 99 seats in the Assembly. It was pretty sad.