Montgomery County GOP chair resigns to become Libertarian

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A central Indiana county Republican chairman has resigned and has announced he plans to join the Libertarian Party.

Montgomery County Republican Chairman John Pickerill stepped down Thursday.

Pickerel says the Republican Party no longer represents conservatives like himself. He says he's troubled by some local and state politicians who accept campaign donations from people who do business with government.

Pickerill also says he worries about the candidacy of presumed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, whom he says could be the next Ronald Reagan but might turn out to be "the worst thing since Adolph Hitler."

Pickerill said he plans to run for state representative in District 41 as a Libertarian in November.