I'm not a Republican

[Jacob]

It goes beyond that, at least for Dewhurst. Huckabee is in TV commericals endorsing Dewhurst. I was at least considering Dewhurst until those commercials aired.

I'm missing the distinction. So you don't like him because Huckabee says that he favors the guy--in an ad? I couldn't care less what Huckabee thinks.

[Paperback Writer]

I'm missing the distinction. So you don't like him because Huckabee says that he favors the guy--in an ad? I couldn't care less what Huckabee thinks.

It's more than just "favors the guy" - it's an endorsement in a TV ad. That's a big distinction. Look, if I don't think highly of Sarah Palin and she shows up in an endorsement ad on TV asking me to vote for Mitt Romney, I'm going to factor that into my decision. I'm at least thinking why would Romney choose to to let Palin endorse him on TV? I do the same when I see Huckabee's mug asking me to vote for Dewhurst. I could care less what Huckabee thinks and now I'm thinking I could care less about what Dewhurst thinks.

[Uncle Ted]

If the primary was only held one year ago...

Poll Date: 5/29-6/3, 2011
Poll Method: Monitored and automated calls
Poll Sample: 882 highly active Republican voters in Texas
Margin of Error: +/- 2%

Question: If the Texas Republican primary were held today, which presidential candidate would you be most likely to vote for?

Ron Paul – 22%
Rick Perry – 17%
Herman Cain – 14%
Newt Gingrich – 11%
Gary Johnson – 9%
Mitt Romney – 8%
Michele Bachmann – 7%
Tim Pawlenty – 2%
John Huntsman – 2%
Rick Santorum – 1%
Undecided – 7%

[cowboy]

I can't think of one issue that I am more closely aligned with Democrats than Republicans. Sure, we have our share of crazy idiots, but I'm more comfortable with the GOP brand of crazy than the Dem brand of crazy. Also, I'm interested in why you believe higher taxes on the wealthy are part of the solution when entitlements for the poor and middle class are clearly what are running us into the ditch.

[Jacob]

It's more than just "favors the guy" - it's an endorsement in a TV ad. That's a big distinction. Look, if I don't think highly of Sarah Palin and she shows up in an endorsement ad on TV asking me to vote for Mitt Romney, I'm going to factor that into my decision. I'm at least thinking why would Romney choose to to let Palin endorse him on TV? I do the same when I see Huckabee's mug asking me to vote for Dewhurst. I could care less what Huckabee thinks and now I'm thinking I could care less about what Dewhurst thinks.

I think that is a strange thing to put any significant weight into deciding whether you are going to vote for a person.

[frank ryan]

Maybe this is what you are saying, but my guess is those choosing to self identify has to do with, the religious right, the eagle forum, Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, etc. being classified as the republican party.

The next time I am asked to self identify, it will be as an Independent. However, like you said, I doubt I will ever vote for a democrat in my remaining lifetime.

Ever? that is pretty sad. I'm voting for Hatch in the primary and general election.If you want to stick it to the radical right, vote democrat when it comes to the legislature. We need more of them in the legislature and in your neck of the woods there are some radical righties in power.

Or you should run for the legislature.

[Uncle Ted]

I think that is a strange thing to put any significant weight into deciding whether you are going to vote for a person.

Yes, I voted for Ted Cruz anyway. He comes from a good family.

[happyone]

I guess the main reason I'm a card carrying Repub is that in Davis County, if you're not, you really don't have much of a say in who is running local gov't. I understand Utah County is worse.

I have always voted the GOP ticket in the Pres elections though and I take some pride in never have voted a straight party ticket.

[frank ryan]

I guess the main reason I'm a card carrying Repub is that in Davis County, if you're not, you really don't have much of a say in who is running local gov't. I understand Utah County is worse.

I have always voted the GOP ticket in the Pres elections though and I take some pride in never have voted a straight party ticket.

At least in Davis co. every once in awhile you get a democrat commissioner.

[byu71]

Ever? that is pretty sad. I'm voting for Hatch in the primary and general election.If you want to stick it to the radical right, vote democrat when it comes to the legislature. We need more of them in the legislature and in your neck of the woods there are some radical righties in power.

Or you should run for the legislature.

I qualified it by saying "I doubt", I ever would. I also should have said in national politics. I could see myself voting for a democrat over some local eagle forum republican.

The problem nationally is the democrat I vote for will go back and do the bidding of the likes of Nanci Pelosi. Heck I would hold my nose and vote for Gail Rudzika over Nanci Pelosi.

If the day comes the moderate dems control the dem party and the far righties control the republican party, then I could vote dem.

[frank ryan]

I qualified it by saying "I doubt", I ever would. I also should have said in national politics. I could see myself voting for a democrat over some local eagle forum republican.

The problem nationally is the democrat I vote for will go back and do the bidding of the likes of Nanci Pelosi. Heck I would hold my nose and vote for Gail Rudzika over Nanci Pelosi.

If the day comes the moderate dems control the dem party and the far righties control the republican party, then I could vote dem.

Matheson has been too damned republican for my liking. I think he will lose this election. I realize he isn't your congressman. Bishop is mediocre though. I'll be voting for whatever reanimated corpse that the dems can get to run against him.

[RobinFinderson]

Also, I'm interested in why you believe higher taxes on the wealthy are part of the solution when entitlements for the poor and middle class are clearly what are running us into the ditch.

This is the thing I don't understand about the GOP position.... we are going to pay for our poor people one way or another. If they get too poor and desperate, they become homeless, and we have to deal with that. If they are a little less poor and active, they turn to petty and not-so-petty crime, and we have to pay for that. If we want them not to be poor, we have to educate them, and we have to pay for that. If we don't have affordable healthcare, they use our emergency rooms for free, and we have to pay for that. This also happens when they are working poor, but their multiple part-time jobs don't cover their family insurance, or preconditions keep them from getting insurance, and we pay for that.

We are going to have to pay for the poor, no matter what, or else we are going to have to stomach dealing with a growing number of needy homeless people, many of whom are children. As much as I have a reputation for being a bleeding heart, I think a better description of my 'liberalism' is simply that I think that when it comes to poor people, liberals want to spend preventative money, and conservatives want to build more prisons. Either way, we pay for it.

[wuapinmon]

But how do they vote? What they call themselves is largely irrelevant. Most of those independents "lean" to one party or the other. They might as well be identified with that party.

It looks like the chart shows a significant drop in republican ID. This, I'm guessing, is in part a result of people identifying with the tea-party or similar groups who think the republicans are too liberal or [insert other non-descriptive adjective here]. These folks still vote republican. I'm among them.

In my life, I've voted thusly: Bush, Dole, Bush, Bush, Obama. I will probably vote for Romney.

I am an independent. Parties are largely irrelevant anymore anyway.

[venkman]

This is the thing I don't understand about the GOP position.... we are going to pay for our poor people one way or another. If they get too poor and desperate, they become homeless, and we have to deal with that. If they are a little less poor and active, they turn to petty and not-so-petty crime, and we have to pay for that. If we want them not to be poor, we have to educate them, and we have to pay for that. If we don't have affordable healthcare, they use our emergency rooms for free, and we have to pay for that. This also happens when they are working poor, but their multiple part-time jobs don't cover their family insurance, or preconditions keep them from getting insurance, and we pay for that.

We are going to have to pay for the poor, no matter what, or else we are going to have to stomach dealing with a growing number of needy homeless people, many of whom are children. As much as I have a reputation for being a bleeding heart, I think a better description of my 'liberalism' is simply that I think that when it comes to poor people, liberals want to spend preventative money, and conservatives want to build more prisons. Either way, we pay for it.

We don't have to. If we enacted genuine free market pro growth policies, including lowering corporate taxes, easing regulations, reigning in the out of control Economic Prevention Agency (EPA), and generally get less corporatist/fascist/socialist, the economy would come roaring back. There would be a lot fewer poor people to "pay for".

[FMCoug]

I identify as an Independent for one simple reason.

The platform of every single political party is full of a bunch of crazy shit I can't agree with.