Republican quits the GOP because he can't 'stomach' being associated with their behavior anymore

According to the Times Union, Benny Zlotnick, a town supervisor in Milton, New York who describes himself as "a Republican since the day I could vote," has announced he is leaving the party, citing multiple grievances.

"The town supervisor, who changed his party affiliation on Wednesday, said he can no longer abide by the town's GOP leadership after it snubbed him for the upcoming November election and instead endorsed a controversial former town supervisor, Scott Ostrander," reported Wendy Libertore. "Zlotnick beat Ostrander to win the supervisor's race in 2019 and plans to seek reelection."

Ostrander was accused of wiping computers in the supervisor's office before he left in 2019, although he denies wrongdoing and no charges were ever filed because Zlotnick was worried he lacked the evidence to prove Ostrander was the culprit. He says he now regrets that decision.

According to the report, Zlotick also has increasing ideological grievances with the party: "Zlotnick was also disappointed by how Republicans reacted when he put up a gay pride flag last year during Pride Month. 'Republicans posted (on social media) to tear it down,' Zlotnick said. 'I can't be a member of a party that feels that way.'" The pride flag was stolen from the pole twice.

Thanks to New York's complicated "fusion voting" laws, Zlotnick — despite being a Republican — ran without the GOP ballot nomination last election, but held ballot lines from the Conservative, Independence, Democratic, and "Moving Milton Forward" parties. This time, he will once again seek the Democratic and Moving Milton Forward lines.