Wagoner County Commissioner switches to GOP

Wagoner County Commissioner Chris Edwards has switched his voter registration to Republican, making term-limited State Representative Wade Rousellot the lone elected Democrat in Wagoner County.

COMMISSIONER HONORS, CONVICTIONS MAKES CHANGE

In keeping with his personal values and convictions, District Two Wagoner County Commissioner, Chris Edwards has changed his voter registration to the Republican Party.  When asked about the reason for the switch, Edwards explains that based on changes made to the Democratic Party platform during the last national convention, he feels the party platform no longer reflects his personal values.

Being a devout Christian, even serving as a deacon in his church, Edwards has always been solidly pro-life and says that he has always supported limited government and lower taxes.  Being a veteran himself, he is also a strong advocate for our military.  In fact, Edwards’ original voter registration was for the Republican Party.  “I made the switch to be a Democrat at the request of a commissioner I worked for here and I just never switched back.  At that time, you almost had to be a Democrat to vote in Wagoner County”.

He goes on to say that, even so, party affiliation has never been an issue to him. “I have always wanted to just do the best job I can do as an elected servant of the county.  I have tried to leave the politics out of it and make the best decisions I can make based on my convictions” and he says he believes the citizens agree he has done just that.

However, it is those convictions that have now led him to make the decision to change registration. He said, “I have always been at odds with some of the things in the (Democratic) party platform, but I really have a hard time reconciling some of the things they are supporting now, especially their views on the family, with my Christian faith.”  He said he began considering the move when the crowd booed God at the last Democratic National Convention.

Edwards says he believes that the majority of the people in Wagoner County are much more conservative than are some of the more far-left in the Democratic Party. “I think when they look at the two parties and what they believe side by side, they will see the same thing I did.  My values and beliefs really are more in line with the Republicans.  If that’s the case, I hope they will join me and make the move too.”