Washington Republicans decided not to allow Rep. Glenn Anderson to speak at its convention after he filed in the lieutenant governor race as a “Independent Republican.”

“We don’t add adjectives on our Republicanism,” said Kirby Wilbur, head of the Washington state party. “The Republican party has to protect its label.”

The decision was unanimous, but it still surprised Anderson, a 12-year Republican dedicated to fundamental party ideas.

Anderson said he added the word “independent” so voters would know that he’s a Republican but still thinks independently from the party line.

“It’s about truth in advertising,” he said. “The voters don’t want a prepackaged good.”

Wilbur called it a “shallow move” to garner independent voters in a typically left-leaning state.

The party’s decision isn’t expected to hurt Anderson’s fundraising abilities much.

Promising only to run for two terms, Anderson hopes to “shake up the snow globe” of government leadership. He vowed not to spend time hustling big money from special interest groups but instead to focus on the voters’ needs.

Anderson us now serving in the 5th district, which includes Issaquah and Sammamish, where he’s worked heavily on K-12 education issues.

The only official Republican candidate in the lieutenant governor race is Bill Finkbeiner, who likely won’t get an endorsement from the party. There are six people in all, including Democrat Brad Owen and Neopopulist Dave T. Sumner IV.