Endorsement v. Voting

Betty Richardson had a piece in today’s Statesman urging Keith Johnson and Shelia Sorensen to back Larry Grant. She writes that her father was a Democrat:

Imagine my surprise when, a few years later, my father, then a Democratic precinct committeeman, publicly supported Republican Gov. Robert Smylie, who was challenged by Democrat Vernon K. Smith, a pro-gambling candidate. How could that be?

My Dad explained that, while party affiliation was important, he was an American first, an Idahoan second and a Democrat third. That meant he voted for the person, not the party, when the Republican would better serve our country and state.

History has an interesting way of repeating itself. In 1986, I was Ada County Democratic chairwoman. And just as my parents had impressed upon me, I wanted my children to understand the importance of exercising their right to vote.

My son, then 6 years old, accompanied me to the polls. He watched intently as I punched the ballot, and then suddenly exclaimed, “Mom! You can’t do that! You just voted for a Republican!” Other voters chuckled. Polling officials raised their eyebrows. “I’ll explain later,” I whispered. When we got home, I repeated the lesson my father had taught me.

She argues that Sorensen and Johnson ought to cast it with “centrist Democrat Larry Grant”. After all, if he’s reasonable and moderate enough for Big Labor to kick in $18,000 already, he should be reasonable for Republicans to back.

Of course, Ms. Richardson misses the distinction between voting for a candidate and endorsing them. In the privacy of my polling booth, I can vote for whoever want, but in this club called the Republican Party, we’ve got a general arrangement. We fight like dogs during the primary, then we shake hands and go after the other guys.

Yes, a precinct captain can get away with this, but not even a county chairwoman could. She didn’t walk up to the Democrat she was voting against and tell him he wouldn’t have her vote. She didn’t campaign for the Republican. She made her own private decision.

But what she’s saying is, “Keith and Shelia, would you midn splitting your party in two to help a Democrat get to congress?” Keith Johnson is a conservative and he’s closer to Sali on the issues than Larry Grant. As to Sorensen, who knows, but if she wants to play the game of politics as a Republican, she’ll give some type of endorsement.

Key thing to remember about this. The Republican Animal is an elephant and an elephant never forgets.