Anyone vote for republicans locally?

[fencesitter]

I live in a county in PA that has been a solid republican stronghold for 100 years. I think the only dem to win here was perhaps Gov. Rendell. All the local positions are held by repubs except for a few token dems on the borough council and one of the three county commissioners. It's very difficult to tell any difference from either party in local politics, the main issues are sprawl, growth management, traffic and taxes. But all the candidates sound the same with their approach to the issues. Some of the dem candidates are inexperienced and somewhat loopy,I couldn't justify voting for them on party alone, sometimes you have to elect the republican. The Philadelphia Mayors' race is nearby and although we can't vote here in the suburbs, most dems I know would not re-elect the mayor, (democrat Street). The republican Sam Katz is truely the better guy. So, what do you all do? I've voted for our green party candidates in the past just to show someone cares and supports them, but they have no chance of ever winning. Vote against the republicans just to send a message? Around here, the message is when you're young and idealistic, you vote green and dem, but when you get a job, a home, a business and start paying taxes, local issues become best left to the professional leaders. waddya do?

[joeybee12]

1. I will still never vote Repuke, and here's why

Those locals are the ones who come up through the ranks and then run on a state or national level--it's their training ground--and we need to give Dems on the job training instead!

[leftynyc]

20. Yes, Ben Gilman was my congressman

until he retired. Pro-choice and pro-environment. Now my congresswoman is Nita Lowey. She ran unopposed which should tell you how liberal my district is.

[htuttle]

2. Only once

In a gubernatorial primary.

A friend of mine was running in the Republican primary against Tommy Thompson.

Oh, that, and he was campaigning stark naked, as 'the candidate with nothing to hide'. I think I still have a campaign poster somewhere...

Sigh. He lost.

Otherwise, if there is no Democrat in the race, I vote Green, or Farm/Labor.

[slackmaster]

3. Yes, on occasion I have in local (including state legislature)

Once in a while the Democratic Party comes up with a Village Idiot candidate and the GOP counters with a moderate person who seems like a better choice.

Not often, but it does happen.

[leftofthedial]

4. I will NEVER vote for A Repug

NEVER

The closest I will come is to not vote for that office.

[benddem]

5. Get Involved

Join the County Democratic party...get Dems elected to School Boards, Library Boards, Dog Catcher, etc. etc etc. This is what the Christian Coalition did. Then get Dems to run for the other offices.
OR Run yourself. I did that. I ran for State Senate against a really favored candidate. I was beaten, but at least I got my views out. This year we will even have a primary contest for the Dems. It takes work.:toast:

[mndemocrat_29]

22. Excellent idea!

City Council members, School Board members, Mayors, etc. are good starting grounds for state legislator and senator.

[CO Liberal]

6. I Used to Vote for Millicent Fenwick (R-NJ)

When I lived in her district. She may have been a Republican, but she was a hell of a Congresswoman and the prototype for the Lacey davenport character in "Doonesbury".

[slackmaster]

11. I love her and her name

A great lady indeed.

We had a miniature version out here named Lucy Killea.

[HFishbine]

7. Campaigning for one

who's running in a non-partisan race. But you have to understand, our local situation is truley f**ked up.

There are dems on the city council who are fimrly in the pockets of local business interests and that's what drives their decisions.

My republican friend on the other hand would like to see the city's anti-discrimination ordinance updated to include sexual preference, he wants companies seeking tax breaks to meet wage, health care, and pollution requirement and he actually gives a damn about the environment.

So yeah, given the choice between a republican who acts like a democrat or democrats who are nothing more than pawns of local developers, I'm voting for and campaigning for a republican.

[mobiggsly]

8. yes

I proudly voted for Republicans Chuck Hagel(he's just to valuable to the state, and he's not a Bushco robot anyways) and Tom Osborne. Of course Tom's oponent admitted during a debate that he was going to lose and said he raised a combined $1,200 for the campaign! As for real local elections, the republican usually runs unopposed or against a libritarian crackpot.

[boxster]

Yep, Tom got something like 95% of the vote.

He's not in my district, so I didn't have to choose.

I didn't realize how incredibly conservative he was until I was reviewing his positions on issues2000.org or some other issues site. I think he rates about a 95 on the conservative scale!

[mobiggsly]

14. I even bought a campaign T-shirt and wore it to games

Honest to God, does he have any issues besides internet porn? I know hes a proponent of farm issues etc, but everytime I see him on TV hes talking about internet porn.

[boxster]

27. Hehe. That is so true.

That does seem to be the only time he gets any press!

He's pretty conservative, though he doesn't really have much of a record thus far: http://www.issues2000.org/House/Tom_Osborne.htm

[T Wolf]

9. I also live in a PA county (MontCo)

and have never voted for one of those shits. The arrogant way the repukes run this county is disgusting. I may avoid voting for a Dem who I know for a fact is less-than-desirable, but I would never give the pro-business, anti-environment assholes any measure of support.

As for the Street-Katz battle... I have no vote (though I work and pay taxes to the city) and though I wish the Philly Dems had a better candidate, Katz is definitely NOT "the better guy."

I cannot understand how any "real" Democrat could ever vote for a repug. They represent everything we are supposed to believe in. If you truly are a 'fencesitter' I think you should just vault on over and join Zell Miller and the other DINOs.

The one thing that * has said that rings true is this, "You are either for us or against us." Repukes are the enemy and need to be confronted and defeated. Anything less is unAmerican.

Again I ask the question - when will Democrats stop playing nice and really fight for what we believe? I have not seen much of that for a long time.

[kiahzero]

24. Congratulations

You've managed to lower my expectations of liberals.

The one thing that * has said that rings true is this, "You are either for us or against us." Repukes are the enemy and need to be confronted and defeated. Anything less is unAmerican.

This attitude is to Bush as the Christian Coalition is to the Taliban: Opposite ends of the spectrum, but ultimately the same sentiment.

How about growing up a little, hmm?

[Horushawk]

10. NO

I will vote 3rd party local, Democrat nationally and state wide.

[newyawker99]

28. Hi Horushawk!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Wellong]

12. I will be on Tuesday

I will vote to reelect the mayor of my town, a republican. I do not have a single complaint about the way my town is run. Well, thats not quite true, they did put a moritorium on liquor licenses for 18 months. Other than that I do not have a single complaint. And to be honest, I have never heard a single complaint about the way the town is run. We have run a surplus for as long as can be remembered. Built a brand new town hall and recreation center from money the mayor saved in a fund for it from the surpluses over a few years. In other words, the town paid cash for it! The town is clean, virtually crime free, and everything is wonderful.

To be honest, I am not even sure if anyone is running against him. The mayors reelection signs just went up about 3 days ago and the election is Tuesday. I have not seen a sign for anyone else for mayor.

And for those wondering, I live in Apex NC.

[tnlefty]

13. Once and in the '02 elections

My choices for county council were a repub, fundy who was driving the push to have the Ten Commandments erected in the courthouse and the other who stated to me personally that even though he is registered as repub he frequently finds himself agreeing with the left side of the paper and he firmly believes in the seperation of church and state.

[Doomsayer13]

15. Yes

I voted for Mark Kirk (R IL-10)when I was still registered in Illinois. He was a liberal Republican and I was wholly unimpressed by his challenger, Lauren Beth Gash. Looking back, I was younger then and probably should've voted for Gash, but I like Kirk though. He's a good Republican, if one ever existed.

[HERVEPA]

16. No. Nay. Never.

I work in Philadelphia but don't live there. Street is a jerk. Katz is a bigger jerk.

"Let's take the city back" (Katz commercial). Just who do you think he was talking about?

[mitchtv]

17. i voted for Milton Marks when I lived in SF

perhaps the only puke I ever voted for. Not Proudly, either.

[tom_paine]

18. I used to quite often...not since the Attempted Coup of 1998

A vote for Bushevik for Dogcatcher is an empowerment for those who wish to turn our nation into an Imperial Footstool.

Sad. I used to very much enjoy scouting out the positions and issues, then voting for the best person most closely aligned with my position.

Now? How can I vote for anything which gives power to Bushevik Monsters?

The world must truly be Orwellian and Upside-Down, for I am ferverently hoping John Street wins and wins big (and I don't even like the guy and think he probably is a crook, thoguh a piker next to the Imperial Family and their cronies).

[in_cog_ni_to]

19. No

I have NEVER voted republican and never will. I'd rather cut off an arm. :mad:

[WindRavenX]

21. Will not vote Republican

Unless the Republican is more of a Democrat than the actual Democrat.

[mlawson]

23. NEVER!!!! n/t

[mndemocrat_29]

25. I refuse to ever vote for a Republican

If there is a Democrat, I'll vote for them. Though I've had several moderate Democrats on my ballots (my congressman is Rep. Collin Peterson), I've never felt that the Democrat was more conservative than the Republican. Typically, statewide Democrats are good candidates, since statewide elections are typically close. Voting for a Republican, no matter how liberal, is the SAME THING as voting for Bush, DeLay, Orrin Hatch, Rick Santorum, and John Ashcroft.

However, if there is no Democrat on the ballot, I suggest using the write-in ballot. I'm a strong believer in the power of the write-in. In some of my local, non-partisan elections, there are several officeholders who I wouldn't dream of voting for, so I just write in candidates.

[Snow]

26. I would never vote for the current Republican party - it's, among other

things, a party of racism. However, when I was a lad in Indianapolis, my dad ran for Indianapolis school board with the opposition group (this is a non-partisan election), fuguring not to win but to bring issues to the fore. He was the spokesman/target for his group, and there was also a designated spokesman for the establishment group. Well, the establishment group won, and their spokesman started his political career. Before too much longer he was chair of the school baord, and danged if he didn't implement a lot of my dad's suggestions, and gave Dad some credit, although fairly quietly, while doing so. They became friends because of that, although, as I said, in such a way as not to offend the establishment. Anyway, the guy's next stop was to run for mayor of Indianapolis, and, even though he was republican, I voted for him. By the time he was running for senator (and later, president) I was living elsewhere, but I still have a lot of respect for him - he's a man of honor, even if we often disagree on politics. This is Dick Lugar...