Republican State Representative Lucas Lanigan of Sanford is pleading not guilty to domestic violence charges.

Lanigan entered his plea Wednesday after Police said he grabbed his wife by the neck and choked her for 20 seconds last year.

His wife then testified in court that she was in rehab at the time, and Lanigan was stopping her from harming herself.

But prosecutors still brought the charges, saying it’s common for domestic violence victims to walk back their stories.

Lanigan won re-election by one vote last November, after a hand recount.

The state Democratic Party called for him to step down, but Lanigan said he plans to serve out his full term.

Lanigan told CBS 13 News Wednesday he thinks the case is a “witch hunt.”