Sprouse Out In '08

Sen. Vic Sprouse, R-Kanawha, will leave the Legislature in 2008, the Charleston Daily Mail reports today.

Sprouse, 38, cites "financial obligations" for his decision not to seek re-election. He operates several fitness clubs.

The former minority leader "said today he has started his own consulting firm and plans to be heavily involved in political campaigns and fundraising," the newspaper reports.

MetroNews also has a story, and Sprouse spoke to Hoppy Kercheval this morning on Talkline.

In the Daily Mail story, Sprouse comments on "attacks on his personal life" as a factor in his decision.

"Considerable controversy has surrounded Sprouse’s recent divorce from Amy McKinley, his third wife, who has publicly accused Sprouse of not helping out enough with the medical bills for their ill son," the newspaper reports.

Such allegations had helped fuel recent speculation about his political future.

On the blog devoted to their son, McKinley posted Wednesday that their divorce is final (the case is sealed in Kanawha County Family Court).

She also recently opined on Sprouse's political situation in an email to Charleston Gazette columnist Phil Kabler.

Sprouse has responded at length to several recent Kabler columns on his personal web site. He also posted about his decision not to seek a fourth Senate term late last night.