From The Associated Press, 9/19/06:
http://www.kcci.com/politics/9888160/detail.html

GOP Candidate Switches Parties After Attack
"I called him that night and he was obviously upset. I told him what
my plans were and that was to leave the Republican Party," Wiskus
said.

Wiskus said he has received several e-mails from across the country
commending him for making the move.

From The Associated Press, 9/19/06:
http://www.kcci.com/politics/9888160/detail.html

GOP Candidate Switches Parties After Attack

DES MOINES, Iowa --

A Republican challenger for southern Iowa's House District 94 has
changed his party affiliation after the state GOP distributed a
brochure criticizing his Democratic opponent.

Wiskus said he will continue running in House District 94 as an
independent.

The district includes Wayne, Appanoose and Davis counties.

What that flier says has both candidates outraged.

The flier says "Vote no to Kurt Swaim."

What the rest of it said caught Democratic incumbent Swaim by
surprise.

It accuses Swaim of coddling child sex abusers.

"It is misleading in so many respects, let me count the ways," Swaim
said.

The GOP flier claims that Swaim helped a man who's convicted of
lascivious acts on a child get out of jail early and goes on to claim
the two-term Democrat supported a bill that went easy on sex
offenders.

"The bill they were attacking me on was a Republican bill," Swaim
said.

"The fact that Speaker Rants voted for the same bill that I'm being
attacked on is shocking to me."

It cited Swaim's work as a court-appointed public defender of an
accused sex offender who was only served four days in jail.

Swaim said he has received support from Republicans, Democrats and
independents and that people see through the mailing.

"That doesn't strike me as being right, as being moral; as being
within the bounds of decency," Swaim said.

Kevin Wiskus said in a letter to Swaim that he knew nothing about the
mailer and apologized to Swaim and his family.

"It was what I'm considering to be a shocking and tasteless attack on
my opponent," Wiskus said.

Wiskus said it was so tasteless that he decided to leave the
Republican Party.

He called Swaim to tell him why.

"I called him that night and he was obviously upset. I told him what
my plans were and that was to leave the Republican Party," Wiskus
said.

Wiskus said he has received several e-mails from across the country
commending him for making the move.

It's attention that any candidate would love.

He said it's attention that he didn't ask for.

"I had nothing to do with it. I didn't know it was happening and I
don't appreciate what was done," Wiskus said.

Swaim said that he expects more attacks from the Republican party, but
he also said he's received calls from some Republican friends at the
Statehouse saying they're sorry for the attack.

"I accepted his apology, thanked him for it and appreciated it," Swaim
said.

"I accept Kevin at his word. I have no reason to think otherwise,"
Swaim said.

Wiskus will stay listed as a Republican on the ballot because the
incident happened so late in the race.

________________________________________________________

We need more politicians like Kevin Wiskus.

Harry