I do tend to cast "protest votes" in the primary for candidates who have little chance of winning, if I'm not happy with the 'front-runners'. It doesn't really do any harm unless the conservative vote is severely split and a RINO wins (though I think Phil Collins is right that Topinka's nomination is just as much Obie's fault and he should have sat that election out when we already had a number of good conservatives in the race)
In 2004, I cast a token "write-in" protest vote for Tom Tancredo in the GOP primary because I wasn't happy with Bush's immigration policies (it wasn't counted, as I learned later on, because Tancredo was not a declared write-in candidate) For the U.S. Senate race that year, I voted for State Rep. Jonathan Wright (who was polling about 2%), because I thought he was the most conservative candidate, had an impressive resume, and was a great speaker (Rauschenberger's record on immigration is also a little weak)
People are realizing in hindsight what a lousy field of choices we had in the GOP primary for President in 2008. I can't recall exactly, but I think Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo never filed the paperwork to get on the ballot in Illinois. My dad was a hardcore Fredhead, but Fred had dropped out by the time Illinois cast its vote on "Super Tuesday" in Feb., (Thompson was only "officially" in the race from Sept. 2007 - Jan. 3, 2008). The only candidates left at that point were McCain, Romney, Huckabee, and Ron Paul. My dad ended up voting for Huckabee along with me, but mainly because he couldn't stand McCain or Romney and wanted to cast his vote for anyone that could stop them. Even with Fred Thompson out of the race, his name remained on the ballot, so anyone who wanted to cast a pointless "protest" vote for him could do so (942 Illinoisans choose Thompson, for a total of 0.19% of the vote).
So has anyone figured out where Rick Merkt stands on social issues?
John McCain 426,777 47.45% 54 delegates
Mitt Romney 257,265 28.60% 2 delegates
Mike Huckabee 148,053 16.46% 0 delegates
Ron Paul 45,055 5.01% 0 delegates
Rudy Giuliani* 11,837 1.32% 0 delegates
Fred Thompson* 7,259 0.81% 0 delegates
Jim Mitchell, Jr. 483 0.05% 0 delegates
*Candidate withdrew prior to the primary
Haven’t researched Merkt. Any additional Conservatives in the race I regard as spoilers and should get out. It’s been nearly 70 years since a Conservative Governor was elected in NJ (Edison), and frankly, the state that has my ancestors buried in it going back to after the Revolutionary War needs a gigantic enema like Lonegan, and Christie is just more of another constipating tool.
I can admit when I was wrong or ignorant of the full breadth of information, like when I thought George Bush was EVER anything besides a big government CINO.
By the time Ober ran for Congress I was well aware that his nomination would risk the seat and as we know he did indeed lose. Chris Lauzen should be in Congress right now. Instead he lost the nomination after being smeared by Oberweis.
I won’t insult Oberweis by calling him the Illinois Romney, oops I just did. I shouldn’t have voted for either of them.
Ha I don’t even remember a Jonathan Wright on the ballot for Senate in 2004, I voted for Jack Ryan.
“So has anyone figured out where Rick Merkt stands on social issues?”
Well there’s
“1998-1999 Assembly Member Merkt supported the interests of the Family Planning Advocates of New Jersey 0 percent in 1998-1999.”
and
“Merkt sees civil unions as de facto “gay marriage” and is vociferously against it. Marriage is an ancient social, cultural, and religious institution, the Republican assemblyman contends, and he says his fellow lawmakers had no right to change the time-honored institution. Nor is he alone in his strong disapproval of yesterday’s vote.”
Cristie has allegedly been pro-life for the past 14 years.
Merkt looks like maybe he would be better than Lonegen but he’s gonna be a distant third place. I hope he’s considered for LT. Governor.