I voted in the Texas primary yesterday in the early voting period. For the first time in memory I voted against a veteran - and a SEAL. I just could not support Dan Crenshaw any more. I had high hopes for him and donated money his first few campaigns, but that stunt he pulled threatening Shawn Ryan was over the top. I’m obviously in his district and while he may well win in the end, his popularity is seriously declining here.

quote:

Originally posted by Abn556:
I voted in the Texas primary yesterday in the early voting period. For the first time in memory I voted against a veteran - and a SEAL. I just could not support Dan Crenshaw any more. I had high hopes for him and donated money his first few campaigns, but that stunt he pulled threatening Shawn Ryan was over the top. I’m obviously in his district and while he may well win in the end, his popularity is seriously declining here.

Crenshaw is a true politician, a lying disappointment of a congressman only concerned about himself. His own spec forces groups called him out on his behavior. I just listed to his rambling, excuse laden, blaming other people and lying about everything interview on the Mike Drop podcast.

Most of us hold special forces vets in high regard but he is one of a few (Rob ONeill is another) that prove they are no different than the rest of us and their past accomplishments do not do anything for their current acts.

'Eye-patch McCain'...

We had a solidly conservative Congressmen, Kevin Brady, for my district from '97 to '23. Texas gained a seat and Brady retired so they saw it as an opportunity to redraw districts to have more Republicans in Congress. Now, Crenshaw is my Congressional Critter, and the other portion of Brady's old district is Marcus Luttrell's twin brother, Morgan. I wish Morgan was my Congressman instead of McStain Jr.

Yesterday, I had the privilege to vote against McStain Jr for the 2nd time in a primary:

Last time, it was an unknown business owner who had similar beliefs to me. He lost to McStain Jr by 13,000 votes.

This time, it's the man who has been our Texas House Rep since 2018 so good name recognition. He's been winning his house primaries and general elections by landslides and his worst outing he got 65.6% of the vote.

In a primary I’d vote against a RINO if there was an alternative.

For the actual election I’d think of this:

“You vote for the lizards?!”
“Of course. If we didn’t the wrong lizard would get in.”

An approximate quote from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.

I'm with Pipe Smoker on this. In a primary GTFO, but in the actual election I will vote for a RINO vs. withholding my vote as at least most of them vote as I prefer some of the time. Withholding my vote is effectively a vote for the other candidate.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:

...in the actual election I will vote for a RINO vs. withholding my vote as at least most of them vote as I prefer some of the time...

Yup. A RINO is still better than any Demokrat. For many years my congressman in Iowa-1 was Jim Leach; Every election I held my nose and voted for him.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Withholding my vote is effectively a vote for the other candidate.

exactly,


and is what got us in trouble here in VA this past election cycle

^^^ EXACTLY ^^^

As voters, we have the most influence over our political party in the primaries, but most of the RINO situations we're in across this country is because of the collective apathy of voting age Americans. The American voter 90% of the time re-elects incumbents despite Congress going multiple decades in a row with an approval rating below 50%. Hell, only ~20% of registered voters show up for congressional primary voting.

Let's take my congressional district in 2024 as an example. Dan Crenshaw (i.e. McStain Jr) has turned out to be a disappointing swamp creature but let's look at the voting age Americans:

477,000 total voters and it's ~65% republican so ~310,000 Republicans eligible to vote in the primary

Only 67,861 voted which is a 21.9% Republican voter turnout (i.e. 78.1% were so apathetic they stayed home)

40,379 said Congress sucks but Crenshaw isn't the problem (i.e. 13% of eligible Republican voters)

8.9% both show up and realize that both Congress and Crenshaw suck (e.g. I'm one of these people)

The collective apathy of voting age Americans will insure that 500+ out of 535 Congressional Critters will be assclowns who'd be in the breadline if it weren't for their jellyfish like spines being a perfect fit for politics.