I’m not a Republican, I don’t have to be in Mississippi to vote in the Republican primary. I identify most closely with the libertarian wing of the Republican party — not entirely libertarian, but a damn site closer to Republican than Democrat. I’ve always voted for the Republicans at the top of the ticket, because since I was old enough to vote the Democrats have nominated nothing but disasters. From that point down, I’ve split my vote based on the candidates — even voting for a Democrat more than once.
Today, I voted in the Republican primary, against the establishment Senate candidate (Thad 41-years-isn’t-enough Cochran), and for a former Democrat in the house race. Neither is currently winning (although the house race is less than 200 votes apart).
I’m voting in November. I’m not voting for Thad Cochran. I likely won’t vote for the Democrat (he’d have to be a miracle worker and not the guy projected to win, so…), but I will take another opportunity to vote for a third party candidate. All else fails I’ll write in Gene Taylor’s name for House and Senate. Why not?
Thad Cochran is a Washingtonite. He’s a moral hypocrite. He’s betrayed the people who voted for him. The establishment (especially the gross backroom hee-haw state party) have backed him because he’s one of them.
Nope. Not even a little bit, not even at all.
The same will hold true in 2016 — I voted for Ron Paul in the primary in 2012. I got in line for the presidential election mostly because the libertarians nominated a global warming scare-monger and an idiot to run. Otherwise, I might have voted for him instead of Romney. If the candidate is a hack or gun grabber like Christie, or a partisan tool like Romney was, I’m not voting for him. I’ll vote third party, if there’s a viable option.
I won’t donate, I won’t campaign, I won’t do any of that. I’m not a loyal soldier, I’m not an evangelical. I’m the kind of voter who you have to try and get.
In the lead up to the selection of Palin as McCain’s running mate, there were whispers that Lindsey Graham was the guy. I said then that if he was picked I would straight up vote for whoever the Democrats put forth out of spite. Fortunately someone sensible stopped that from happening. I’m sick and tired of the same old recycled politicians. I take it back — if Cochran wins the Senate election, I’m voting for whoever has a chance to beat him just to get some new blood in there.
I’m sick of the same old bullshit every few years.
In 2008 I first started getting involved more than just voting — I did primaries, I donated, I bought bumper stickers, buttons, and a mug. Because of that I still occasionally get mail from the Republican party, even though I haven’t given a dime since 2008. The last time I got a letter was right around the time they backed that idiot who lost her primary in New York and ran as a write-in candidate. My response was not kind.
I don’t owe a political party anything. I don’t owe a candidate anything. If they win, they work for me — the taxpayer. Even if I vote against them a thousand times they work for me. And repeatedly, Thad Cochran has defied my wishes and the wishes of a good number of folk in the state of Mississippi.
A pox on all their houses.