Republican County Chairman resigns, endorses Tom Hoefling for President

MARSHALL — Harrison County Republican Party Chair Wes Brumit has resigned, saying he cannot support GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The announcement took the executive committee of the county’s Republican Party by surprise.

“In our last executive meeting, (Brumit) did share with us his views that he could not support Mr. Trump,” said Wendell Jones, a member of the executive committee. “We all told him at that time we felt that was inappropriate for the (party) leader in our county, and, we would hope as he studies the issues that he would come to a different conclusion and support the party ticket from the top down.”

Jones said the Harrison County Republican Party does not stand with Brumit’s statements regarding Trump.

“We’ve been here supporting and calling, asking people to support the ticket from the top down,” he said.

In a statement announcing his resignation, Brumit said he no longer can be affiliated with a party that “holds Donald Trump up as an example of its values and principles.

“I would be doing a disservice to the party and my executive committee by continuing in this capacity, when I have no confidence or respect for the man at the top of the ticket,” he wrote. “To be clear, I will continue to fight for conservative ideals and values, but will do so through a different venue.”

Brumit, who declined to comment beyond his statement, indicated he has no plans to support Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

He said he will be supporting and voting for Tom Hoefling, an Iowa resident and nominee of America’s Party.

“His values, character and principles more closely exemplify my own,” Brumit wrote of Hoefling. “To borrow a phrase from President (Ronald) Reagan, ‘I am not leaving the GOP, the GOP left me.’ “

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https://www.news-journal.com/news/2016/nov/04/harrison-gop-chairman-resigns-citing-trump-opposit/