AUGUSTA, Maine - A Republican lawmaker who's serving his third term in the Maine Legislature has withdrawn from his party.
Rep. Larry Dunphy said Wednesday that he withdrew from the Republican party last week and will serve the remainder of his term as an unaffiliated member of the Legislature.
Dunphy told The Associated Press that he has become frustrated by partisan politics and "the antics'' in the Legislature, and been considering leaving the Republican party for some time.
In a piece published by the Bangor Daily News on Wednesday, he and former Democratic lawmaker Brian Jones said that special interests are using political parties to "exert inappropriate influence in government.''
They said that Maine politics have become "fraught with dirty, personal attacks.'' Jones said he has left the Democratic party.