I know many of you -- perhaps most -- will vote Tuesday in the primary you've always voted in. But maybe some of you are like me and vote in the primary that seems the most interesting or has a race or two you'd really like to express yourself on. It's usually not too difficult at the Allen County level -- Republicans have so much of a lock that I've seldom voted in the Democratic primary (there often being few contests in the first place). But I'm having trouble deciding which primary to vote in this year.
Recommending the Republican primary: The race between Bill Brown and Marla Irving for county commissioner. I don't care that much about the Buskirk-Bloom commissioner race; perhaps I should, but I don't. Ken Fries seems to be so far ahead in the sheriff's race that my vote won't make a difference. But the Brown-Irving race looks to be a close one, and I'd like to weigh in; I think Brown would be a good commissioner, and I'd like to do my part. Secondary consideration: the County Council race between Cal Miller and Fred Warner. This should also be a close one, and I'd like to see Miller have the chance to put his aggressive attitude to good use for four more years.
On the Democratic side: The race between Geoff Paddock and Phil GiaQuinta for 80th District state representative. This one matters because the 80th is a pretty safe Democratic seat, and whoever wins the primary will likely win the general election. It's an open seat because of the retirement of Ben GiaQuinta, Phil's father. Phil is likely to win because of name recognition -- he's even using his father's yard signs. I don't think he'd be a bad representative, but I like Paddock better. Secondary consideration: the Tina Taviano-Mike Joyner race for sheriff. This one probably doesn't matter in the long run -- we're just deciding who will lose to Fries. But Taviano is a very qualified candidate -- she has the experience on the sheriff's department AND the academic credentials to understand that being sheriff also means running a business.
So, right now, I'm leaning toward voting in the Republican primary, because both of the races I'm interest in matter; on the Democratic side, only one of the two does.
Comments
I get tired of the "inevitable victory" argument, Leo, reinforced by the media saying "no D can win in the county" or "no R can win the 80th." That just makes people think there is no reason to vote because it's all predetermined. Based on your "logic," Linda Buskirk shouldn't have beaten Joe Squadrito in the R primary in 1999. But she did. Pat Love shouldn't have been beaten Mike Ternet. But she did. And Borst shouldn't have lost his primary to a newcomer - but he did. Good candidates, working hard, can beat the odds, even if you don't think so.
Certainly the odds can be beaten. That's a reason for candidates to work as hard as they can, no matter what the current wisdom is or who is spreading it.
But the odds are what they are. I never said "inevitable"; I used words such as "likely" and "probably." As a voter, my goal is to make my vote mean as much as it possibly can.