Republican State Rep. Jim Lucas of Seymour is endorsing Libertarian Donald Rainwater for Governor.

In a Facebook post released Thursday afternoon, Lucas wrote…

“I endorse  Donald Rainwater for Governor for the great state of Indiana. He has the same commitment to the Constitutional principles of limited government and individual liberties that I do and has earned my vote.”

Lucas is the first Republican state official to endorse Rainwater.

“I am honored and look forward to working with him to secure the rights of Hoosiers and recover from this economic crisis,”  Rainwater told Indy Politics.

Republicans were quick to dismiss the endorsement.  “Jim Lucas isn’t an endorsement we’d want or seek,” noted Indiana GOP Spokesman Jake Oakman.  “Now Donald Rainwater gets to answer for Lucas’s racism. Good riddance.”

Lucas is not alone in endorsing candidates from another political party.

Outgoing Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick has endorsed four Democrats for public office, Attorney General candidate Jonathan Weinzapfel, Democrats Aimee Rivera Cole and Melanie Wright who are running for the Statehouse and Fady Qaddoura who is running in the State Senate.