Georgia's Only Independent Lawmaker Won't Switch to the GOP

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Georgia's only independent lawmaker will not make the switch to the Republican Party.

State Representative Rusty Kidd told 41 NBC in an email that he is staying an independent. He says he met with the Speaker of the House last week to discuss issues concerning his district, which represents Baldwin and Putnam counties. He wrote changing political parties did not come up so, "I is what I is and proud to be an independent."

If Kidd had made the switch, that would have made him the 120th Republican in the House of Representatives. That means the GOP would have had the two-thirds majority needed to overturn a governor's veto or to pass any constitutional amendment without democratic support.