Two Kansas Republican lawmakers said Wednesday they would leave their party and join the Democratic minority because the GOP is no longer serving in the best interests of their state. Kansas state Sen. Dinah Sykes and state Rep. Stephanie Clayton, who had identified as moderate Republicans in the past, announced their decisions ahead of the upcoming legislative session, which begins next month. The lawmakers said they were disappointed in Republican leaders who focused on “issues and approaches that divide our country,” as Sykes put it, rather than their constituents’ needs. “I have consistently campaigned on a pro-education, pro-business, pro-stability platform,” Clayton said in a statement. However, the recent moves to support chaos in public policy have caused me great concern.

Source: Huffington Post December 19, 2018 22:07 UTC