A state legislator is “weighing his options” about remaining a Democrat. State Rep. Brett Hulsey is threatening a departure from his party to become an independent. Hulsey is upset his fellow Democrats didn’t support his budget amendment Tuesday to restore funding for various programs. “I was very disappointed that my Democratic colleagues didn’t stand up and fight for our values,” he says.
The long time environmental activist was elected to the Assembly on Madison’s heavily-Democratic west side in 2010 and reelected last year.
Hulsey won’t set a timetable for making a decision saying he’s taking things “one day at a time.”
The Assembly now has a 60-39 GOP majority. The last independent in the chamber was Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc. He was also a Democrat who sided with Republicans on some notable issues. Before that, Jeff Wood of Chippewa Falls was fed up with the Republican Party before becoming an independent. He left the Assembly about two-and-a-half years ago, after three O.W.I arrests.
WIBA’s John Colbert contributed to this report
