PROVIDENCE — J. William W. Harsch, the Republican candidate for attorney general, yesterday announced that if he wins on Tuesday, he will not affiliate with any political party once he takes office.

Harsch, who ran as an independent four years ago and has been a Democrat much of his life, said it would be unprecedented in recent memory for an attorney general to serve without a party affiliation.

“This is a step I feel is necessary in order to restore the faith and confidence in the office of attorney general,” Harsch said. “The people of Rhode Island need to know that their attorney general is not compromised by political considerations or beholden to any party.”

Harsch charged that Democratic Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch has allowed political considerations to shape his actions, including the decision not to prosecute West Warwick officials in connection with the Station nightclub fire, which killed 100 people in 2003.

Also, Harsch noted that Lynch was the brother of state Democratic Party Chairman William J. Lynch. “To have that office occupied, as it is now, by the younger brother of the party chairman of one of the parties, is just an illustration of why you can’t have this situation,” he said. “That is demoralizing to the professional staff. It raises questions as to whether justice is being done selectively.”

Harsch said he was “proud to be part of such a distinguished ticket” that includes Republicans such as U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee and Governor Carcieri. But, he said, “there comes a time where politics has to stop and where justice needs to be blind.”

Why should Republicans vote for Harsch if he is going to ditch his GOP affiliation? “Because I think Republicans have as much interest as Democrats or independents or anyone else in having that office conducted in a nonpartisan fashion,” he said.

State Republican Party Chairwoman Patricia L. Morgan said she understood Harsch’s motivation. “Of course it kind of hurts that he wants to leave the Republican Party,” Morgan said. “But I understand he will be the chief law enforcement officer, and justice has to be applied fairly and equally to everyone. It will be refreshing to have an attorney general who understands that because the last two have not.” (Lynch’s predecessor was Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, who is running against Chafee in this year’s Senate race.)

Lynch’s campaign manager, Andrea Iannazzi, said, “Here’s a guy who at literally the eleventh hour of his second campaign for this office cannot even decide his political affiliation, yet he wants voters to believe he is ready to make the tough decisions required of an attorney general. If Rhode Islanders want a flip-flopper as their chief law enforcement officer, Bill Harsch is clearly their guy. But if they want to elect somebody who knows exactly who he is, and who has shown again and again he will make the tough calls and stand by them, they should reelect Patrick Lynch.”