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The Monroe County Republican Party says that Legislator Dorothy Styk defected to the Democrats because she lost support in her local committee, and she faced a challenge from another candidate.

"In just over a year, Dorothy's weak performance as county legislator caused the Perinton Republican Committee to lack confidence in her ability to support lower taxes, more jobs, and good government," the party said in a press release sent out late yesterday afternoon.

The party says that Perinton and East Rochester committee members will meet soon to nominate their candidate for the County Legislature, and that they favor Tanya Conley, who works for the Legal Aid Society as an attorney for its Child Program.

"It was at this point in time that Dorothy decided that instead of fight for her position, she would choose to switch parties to avoid any of the work necessary to continue to serve district residents," the press release says.

In her announcement yesterday, Styk said she's leaving the party and caucusing with Democratic legislators. She said she's frustrated with the GOP because it favors its own political agenda over meaningful debate. She also said that she wanted to support a Democratic budget amendment to restore $400,000 in county funding for child day care subsidies, but was strongly discouraged by Republican caucus leaders.

The Perinton Republican Committee is expected to endorse Conley at its April meeting, according to the GOP press release. It doesn't say what the East Rochester committee will do.