A New Hampshire House lawmaker says that he’s defecting from the Republican party to become in an independent—in part because of his frustration over the Senate’s repeated refusal to approve marijuana legalization.
Rep. Dan Hynes said on Tuesday that he is leaving the GOP because he feels the party has lost touch with its founding principles, including promoting “individual freedom.”
Among his specific contentions is that “Republicans in the senate almost unanimously voted against legalizing marijuana for adults” this session, referencing a House-passed cannabis reform bill sponsored by bipartisan leadership.
“It is clear they are out of touch with the overwhelming majority of their constituents, and that they do not respect or advocate for personal freedom,” Hynes said in a Facebook post announcing his decision.
He also criticized Republican legislators over votes related to the budget and controversial transgender children’s rights legislation.
In a phone interview with Marijuana Moment on Wednesday, the lawmaker said that it’s “unfortunate” that some GOP members opposed the canna bis legalization bill in the Senate when they previously backed reform while serving in the House.
He also noted that the governor’s prior opposition to any form of legalization may have influenced some members to vote
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