Polk Commissioner Randy Wilkinson Leaves GOP for Tea Party

[ccharles000]

LAKELAND | Polk County Commissioner Randy Wilkinson made it a three-party race Friday for the U.S. House of Representatives District 12 seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow.

Wilkinson, elected to the commission as a Republican, is running for Congress as a member of the Tea Party. On his campaign documents, the Bartow resident said he is a member of that party and not a registered member of any other party.

Wilkinson will not be on the Aug. 24 primary ballot but will be on the general ballot in November with the winners of the Republican and Democratic primaries.

Filing day took another unexpected turn when incumbent U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, announced she isn't running for re-election to the District 5 seat because of health problems. That district includes part of northern Polk County.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20100430/NEWS/4305068/1134

[CurtEastPoint]

1. "...vacated by U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam" Where's Opie going? n/t

[onehandle]

2. C'mon, teapartyers. Go full out third-party. Your time has come. nt

[Dappleganger]

3. Yeah! nt

[AlinPA]

4. Tea party = republican party. There is no difference. nt