DO NOT KILL ME when I ask this question....

[nickshepDEM]

Have any of you ever voted for a Republican in your lifetime? If so who, when, and most imporantly WHY?

[Midlodemocrat]

1. No never. Don't agree with the platform.

[nickshepDEM]

2. I voted for...

Bob Ehrlich in the 2002 Governors race...
I was fresh out of high school and had barley any idea where I stood politicaly. I didnt know much about either candidate (Ehrlich and KTT) and someone in my family sold me on the slots thing.

[StClone]

3. Of Course

As a young monkey under my parents influence (I respected them and they voted for Kennedy) I voted for the idiot Reagan.

[MadHound]

4. Yes, a couple of times

Both in local/state races. The Democratic incumbent was just sooo bad, it was time for some fresh blood.

[XNASA]

5. I voted for Jim Edgar in the IL Governors race years ago.

But he's the only one.

[dryan]

13. Yes....

when the Orange County (Florida) Sherriff Kevin Beary first ran for the office I voted for him. I had heard him speak at a candidates forum and we had a neighbor that was a deputy. The neighbor had told us of some of the problems in the sherriff's department and spoke highly of Beary who was seen as a reformer at the time. The County Commission, City Commission of Orlando, School Board, and all the constitutional officers are non-partisan -- that was rigged by the GOP and the Democratic Executive Committee stood by and let them do it but that is another story. I always vote for the Democrat in all other offices.

[KayLaw]

6. Many times

Until the Republicans started acting like such nut cases, I was registered Independent. This past election I voted for a Republican sherrif because his opponent is a completely immoral and disgusting person. ( Bubba, the love sponge.)

[Kinkistyle]

7. I voted for Giuliani

I voted for Giuliani for mayor the first time around. I was still a Republican then and New York was in shambles.

[merh]

8. Yes, local race for Sheriff. I knew both candidates and the repug

was a better man and had more qualifications than his opponents.

Local politics I always vote the candidate if I know them or about them. If they are unknowns, then I vote for the party.

[wug37]

9. yes, in previous elections

I don't remember who I voted for, but it was for little local offices and that kind of thing. I almost always go Dem for national offices though. This election and for future ones though, I will be voting straight Dem until some balance is returned to the system.

[comradebillyboy]

10. i voted for ronnie rayguns twice

he may be a wonderful ex prez, but in 1980 jimmy carter looked like a hapless rube

[babylonsister]

66. So did I. n/t

[tinrobot]

11. Reagan in 1980

I was young and idiotic. I've grown up a lot since then.

[TexasSissy]

58. Same here.

[bowens43]

12. No. Never.

I have voted in every national/state election since Nov of 1976. I have never voted for a Republican.

[tanyev]

14. I lived in a county where

all the local races were decided in the Republican primary. I wanted to cast my vote in those, and then I voted for the least likely candidates in the up ticket races.

[RUDUing2]

15. once..in SC..in mid 80's...but before you shoot me...

it was for Gov. and the democratic choice was Dick Reilly..ugh..Carroll Campbell was a progressive republican..not a freeper fundie republican...only time I have voted repub at any level in 25 yrs of voting...

[Shopaholic]

83. You voted for Carroll Campbell??

You were on drugs, right? How the hell could you not vote for Dick Reilly?????

I've voted for Republicans in primaries here in SC, but only to "better" pick the Repug who would run against the Democratic candidate in the General Election.

:evilgrin:

[RUDUing2]

88. Reilly was a good ol boy at that point..not the same man the worked for

Clinton..that man I would have voted for...but in the mid 80's DR had gotten the reputation of being in the pocket of some *questionable* businessmen, etc...

[sniffa]

16. that's pretty much aLL i voted for untiL 2000

bob doLe, biLL weLd, jack e. robinson, pauL ceLLucci...

i onLy voted for repubLicans or 3rd party candidates. i began to shift around cLinton's impeachment.

now, i'm not married to the dems but i'm definateLy divorced from the repubLican party.

[skypilot]

21. A recovered Republican?

I would never have guessed that about you.

[sniffa]

29. i bLame my parents

the repubLican dream: working poor in the projects who hated dems because of weLfare. oh, and their obsessive hatred of any/everything kennedy.

[skypilot]

31. OK. I blame them too.

:)

By the way, Happy New Year, cutie.

[sniffa]

32. back atcha

i haven't seen you around much LateLy... but then again, i'm not around that much, so maybe i'm the probLem.

i hope you had a good hoLiday. :D

[skypilot]

36. You are NEVER the problem.

I actually hadn't been posting for about a week. And I did, in fact, have a nice holiday: holiday parties, food, wine, lots of much needed sleep and lots of "Sex and the City". I'm all refreshed now.

[intheflow]

42. As a MA chick transplanted to CO

let me just say that that voting for a Massachusetts Republican is like voitng for a Colorado Democrat. I honestly can't see any difference, the Dems are so conservative out here. Weld and Celucci were good men.

[sniffa]

50. very true

i caLLed myseLf a "weLd-repubLican" back then

and i see that you are are mirror image of curse10 - she moved from coLorado to boston.

[starroute]

17. Don't remember

I grew up in New York City when the prevailing viewpoint what that you had to vote for Republicans occasionally just to keep the Democrats honest. Of course, that was before the Republicans turned evil. By the time I was old enough to vote myself, it was Nixon days, I wasn't in New York, and there weren't a lot of Republicans worth voting for.

However, I might have voted for a Republican here or there back in the 70's as a way of protesting against a particularly DINO-ish or sleazy Democrat. I just don't remember.

[TankLV]

18. NEVER! - Not since I could 1st vote in 1972.

Never have, never will.

Each passing day, cements my decision - and cement gets harder as it ages - even 100 years later it's still getting stronger and harder.

Nope.
Never.

[Demit]

19. Sure, local politics. In a Dem machine town, "good government" types.

Machine politics need a little course correction occasionally. Did NOT, however, in the lead up to the 2004 prez election. Wouldn't take the chance of the national Repug party getting any type of foothold or influence. Sigh. Wish decisions could just be made on the basis of is this a good guy and would he be good for us in this position.

[bluestateguy]

20. Yes, twice

I have been a registered voter since 1994.

I voted for Gov. Jane Hull in Arizona in 1998, a decision I almost immediately came to regret.

In 2000, I voted for the Republican for Travis County (TX) District Attorney. I would not vote for the Democratic DA, Ronnie Earle (who is now investigating Tom DeLay). I was furious at Earle for the way he railroaded a young girl into a bogus murder conviction on scant evidence, a forced confession and kangaroo court proceedings. Her name was LaCresha Murray, and all Austinities know about the case. The conviction was eventually tossed out, but Earle was reluctant to let go. I guess he wanted to show how "tough on crime" he could be. With great reluctance I voted for him this year, but if he fucks up the DeLay case, I'll never support him again.

In 2002 and 2004 I voted straight Democratic tickets.

[Warpy]

22. New England, prior to 1980, Ed Brooks

and maybe one or two others. The New England GOP is quite different from that in the rest of the country. It's still the party of Lincoln, and it combines progressivism on social issues with fiscal restraint. Some of their candidates were far superior to the wishy-washy Democratic opponent.

1980 changed things. That was the year Reagan handed their party to the ultra rich who didn't want to pay any taxes and the religious lunatics who wanted to force their social insanity on all of us. After 1980, I couldn't vote for any Repuglican under any circumstance. I knew even good people would be under too much pressure to conform to the lunacy.

[FightinNewDem]

78. Which means you did something vile...

You voted against Paul Tsongas!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[seabeyond]

23. state senator last spring......kicking and screamin all the way

those in line didnt see it as funny as me. we know the dude, and we wanted the state power to stay in the panhandle of texas. was funniest thing. swore to all, will be the last time i put a check by republican. had every republican asshole say thank you to me as they had to take the slap in the face

a woman, with that power with a texas male, hm........they didnt like it. still throw it in their face

yup

thought about reagan first run, young calif conservative i was. i didnt, and voted against him 2nd term, and bush 1 because of reagan contra scandal.

cant find any honor voting repug, tho i live a repug life

[proud patriot]

24. Nope

I have voted green,peace and freedom, and Natural Law, before

[sportndandy]

25. Dole in 96

cause I thought Clinton was too moderate. I thought old Dole could rise above partisanship. I also knew he would lose.

[derrald]

26. I'll take any repub

over Swartzmiller for the House of Delegates here in WV

[NV Whino]

27. There was a time one could vote for the person and not the party

Not so any more. I have voted repugnant here and there, but can't remember the races. Won't do it any more... not even the local races. Sooner or later, the little guys become the big guys.

[eissa]

33. That was me prior to '92

although never in national elections; maybe for insurance commissioner, city council, etc. After the Clinton years, however, when the repukes REALLY became unbearably evil, I vowed to NEVER vote for anyone with an (R) next to their name.

[Boosterman]

28. A few times in

local elections. They just seemed better on certain issues. Voted for and then against mayor herington in memphis. Voted for Nader the last two presidential races.

[retread]

30. I voted for a Democrat who switched parties after he was elected.

*

[intheflow]

43. Ben Nighthorse Campbell?

[A Simple Game]

34. Probably back in the 70's.

I'm in New York State, most of our republicans back then, and even now would be good Democrats in many other states.

As someone else mentioned on this thread, you used to be able to vote for the person, not the party, but no more.

Don't think I have voted for a republican for at least 25 years.

[adigal]

35. I, too, am a Recovered Republican N/T

[No Exit]

37. 1. Yes. 2. Because I was STUPID.

But NEVER AGAIN. Not after THIS administration! I will never forgive them.

[ohio_liberal]

38. Yes...

I voted for Bob Ney years ago.

[Solly Mack]

39. Well, the 80's were a blur due to Reagan-Shock producing a need for drugs

that numb....but, Nope.

Never been that looped in my life.

[nickshepDEM]

40. More than I expected.

[troubleinwinter]

41. Congressman Paul "Pete" McCloskey, Calif. in the '70s

Well, he stood up with Bella Abzug and the Viet Nam Veterans against the war at the Capitol in 1971.

In the Pres. Primary, 1972, I voted for Shirley Chisholm (Dem.).

That year, McCloskey challenged Nixon in the Repub. Primary. Had he won the primary, I might have voted for him over McGovern.

I did vote for him for Congressman a coupla times.

[Petrushka]

44. Voted for Barry Goldwater . . .

. . . after reading "A Texan Looks at Lyndon".

[flygal]

45. Yes, once

Marc Racicot for MT Governor - the Dem candidate had died two weeks before the election. Racicot had about 80% approval - he was fine as governor - then he whored himself out to *

[Renew Deal]

46. I voted for one once.

I was younger and very stupid. I found out the guy was a lazy bastard who was later enelected from office.

[maveric]

47. Sad to say, Roger Hedgecock, mayor of San Diego. 1982

I was young, dumb and it was non-partisen.... I'm sorry! OK!

[KamaAina]

48. Is it OK if the Dem was Joe Lieberman?

In fact, his opponent, Lowell Weicker, redeemed my faith in him by ditching the repukes shortly thereafter; he would later be elected governor of Conn. on the independent "A Connecticut Party" ticket.

[edbermac]

49. Weld for MA governor; he was pro-choice, pro-gay...and a DEADHEAD!!

His stock rose even further in my eyes when Jesse Helms blocked him from getting a post as ambassador to Mexico when Big Dog was prez...and had seven(!) articulate,informative debates with Kerry when he challenged his Senate seat in 96...

[secedeeconomically]

51. Bill Weld in MA

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

52. Never.....

so far I haven't found one that seems better qualified than the Dem candidate. At any level. I suppose it may have something to do with the fact no matter how you slice it, the Republicans support big business at the expense of the average citizen. I don't think goverment should be operated based on those principles. Hence my flat forehead from running into brick walls all my life.......:shrug:

[idiosyncratic]

53. No . . . NEVER!! Republicans are mean!

I was always Independent and voted for a Third Party candidate for President until 1996 when I voted for President Clinton.

Until the Anita Hill hearings, I didn't even know the difference between Repukes and Democrats, but after listening to nearly every minute of those hearings I realized the difference was---

Republicans are mean.

[ThorsHammer]

54. W in 2000

I honestly believed that he was running as a moderate and a uniter. The last 4 years have clearly shown otherwise, and I didn't vote for him in 2004

[Norwood]

73. So did I

I'm ashamed of the vote. Wasnt really all that informed at the time either though. It was the first time I voted as well.

[SmileyBoy]

55. Yes. I voted for John Hoeven, governor of ND this year.

And that's because 1) Joe Satrom (D) ran a horribly piss-poor campaign, and came off as a real asshole, and 2) Hoeven has actually done a decent job for the state in the bast four years. My best friend who is a 100% dyed-in-the-wool Democrat also voted for Hoeven.

Just so you know, Hoeven is a moderate, liberal Republican ala Arne Carlson, former governor of Minnesota. Hoeven is the only Republican I have ever voted for.

[Xithras]

56. Still do for some local races

I live in a fairly conservative part of California, and there tends to be little difference between the Democrats and Republicans for some of our local (city and county type) races. Party becomes pretty irrelevant in these types of situations, and the voters end up having to pick their candidate by experience and stated platform. In some cases, Democrats win. In others, Republicans win.

Probably the biggest Republican vote I've cast recently was for Dave Cogdill, our local California Assemblyman. I don't particularly like the guy (he's not an eeevvvviiillll Republican, but he's still a mainstream Rethug), but his only Democratic opponent was a college student with zero political experience, no related degrees, very little understanding of the needs and politics of a rural agricultural region, and who's entire campaign strategy consisted of shouting "But I'm not a Republican" to anyone who would listen. As I told our local party HQ, the local Dems are going to have to do a LOT better than that if they want my vote.

[kcass1954]

57. I'm no longer a "recovering" repug...

I'm now completely cured. I have voted repug in some local elections where the Dem was a total idiot. But I will probably never vote for another repug as long as I live.

Now to answer the question, I must first beg forgiveness and extract a promise from you that there will be no floggings. I had just turned 18, and believed all the crap my parents told me about how bad the Dem's were, and I voted for Nixon in 72. I don't think I've ever admitted that to anyone!

[lakelly]

59. Shaking her head in disbelief

Yes, I confess that I have voted for Republicans, mostly in local elections. Also 2xs for Congressman Bill Roth. There's not too much difference between Delaware Reps and Dems, at least not yet. My state is oddly independent. However, for 2004 election only voted for Democrats. (It was a conscious decision.) After all this crap, I may never, ever, vote Republican again.

[skippythwndrdog]

60. Of course. Mostly State and Local races.

Maybe one or two an election cycle. Usually, the Dem is the better candidate, but not always.

[noonwitch]

61. Twice, one for a local office and McCain in the 2000 MI primary

I recently voted for a repub for county prosecutor. The previous democrat was terribly corrupt, the dem running was one of his proteges, and I really felt that the office needed some new people to clean it out. The republican running was a well-known attorney, had good management skills, and comes from a highly respected family in the legal community, but most of all, he had no ethical charges in the past and no ties to corruption. Prosecutors need to be highly ethical people.

I voted for McCain in the 2000 GOP primary for many, many reasons. First was that I could vote in their primary. The main reason was that I feared Bush would win if nominated and that he would totally screw things up, which became apparent to me on 9-11, if not the rest of the country. The third reason is that the unions were urging us to do so to make then-MI governor John Engler look bad. He had promised Michigan to Bush, first in the primary (McCain won handily) and in the general election (Gore won by a good margin).

[Kitka]

62. Yes, I do most every election.

Local judges have to choose a party, even though their effectiveness is evaluated outside party spheres. I know most of the candidates and choose them on their personal qualifications/principles, not which party they belong to. In theory, I choose all candidates on personal qualifications/principles and not which party they belong to. But other than those running for judgeships, I rarely find a Republican whose qualifications/principles I choose.

[katinmn]

76. Yes, but sometimes I didn't know it.

Norm Coleman, our Republican senator, was a Dem when he was elected mayor of St. Paul, then he switched when he made a run for the big time. By then I knew he was a bushbot.

The current mayor of St. Paul still claims to be a Dem, but he ran on stage with * and hugged and kissed him during the campaign and even offered his public endorsement.

Yes, there is a recall effort underway for Mayor Randy Kelly. He probably doesn't care since he sold his soul and will probably run as a Republican something in 06.

:eyes:

[propagandafreegal]

63. Bloomberg for Mayor. Hated Mark Green nm

[Walt Starr]

64. Nope

but I may be open to the option in the future.

I voted straight Democratic tickets in every election since 1980. 2006 is the first time I will ever consider voting for Republicans.

[hyphenate]

65. Can't remember ever have done it

Voted for an Independent once, though, in the 1980 election, when I voted for John Anderson.

[satori]

67. No

No I could never vote for a Repug.

[bbernardini]

68. Just once...all the Democrats wanted to take somebody's farm.

It's a big thing in my area. The majority of the City Council where I live is Democrat. Unfortunately, they're using their position and the concept of "revitalization" as a bully pulpit to steal somebody's land (claiming "eminent domain") outside of the city and township limits to build a golf course. (Somehow, this will magically revitalize the inner city, rather than increased police forces and a supermarket within walking distance.)

I couldn't vote for anybody who supports that. Where do they stop? So, I voted for the Republican who is standing up for the farm owner.

[JerseygirlCT]

69. Lowell Weicker for senate vs. Lieberman

and I'd do it again.

[Straight Shooter]

70. Yes. I voted for a very good friend of mine. She was a Deaniac :)

She told me a few months ago, "I hate to say it, but I'm ashamed to be a Republican these days."

Unfortunately, she is a local politician and to change her party affiliation would do more harm than good, because when she gets elected she is so pro-environment and promotes fairness to workers, that it's hard for me to imagine even a Democrat being better at it. This is also a red area of Oregon, and she's been a Repub all her life.

BTW, she voted for Kerry and for Ron Wyden (Dem Senator)

[mike_c]

71. never in 30 voting years....

eom

[BlueFlu]

72. NO! When there is no Democrat running for a local office,

I will write in a prominent Democrat instead of voting for a Repugnicant!

[Imalittleteapot]

74. Voted for Republican once. City Council. n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

75. Only A Couple. County Wide Offices Only

In both cases, i personally knew the guy. Thought of both of them as more Rockefeller type Repubs, not wild-eyed conservatives.

Also, both were very humble, honest men of integrity. I just couldn't see voting for someone i didn't really know, when i was not at all worried about the agenda of the Repubs i voted for.

But, i've never voted for a Repub i didn't know personally, and wouldn't do so for anything above the level of county board.
The Professor

[Stinky The Clown]

77. Yes, I've gone both ways

Goldwater
Nixon
Nixon
Carter
Reagan
Reagan
Clinton
Clinton
Gore
Kerry

(The older I get, the more I realize I was really meant to be a hippie, but now I have no hair and bellbottoms need to be wider to go with my fat ass.)

[troubleinwinter]

79. Many here voted Raygun, BUTTT, betcha NO Californian here who lived

under his military governorship voted for his as pres.

Betcha!

[bigwillq]

80. Yes, twice

For a woman who was elected mayor. I knew her and her daughter and thought if I voted for her and she won, I would know the mayor.

She won two terms.

[LanternWaste]

81. 84 & 88

I voted Reagan in '84 (I was eighteen and it was my first presidential vote) and Bush in '88. Then something happened... I began to read. Turned Democrat the same year I joined Amnesty International and haven't looked back or to the right since!

[flordehinojos]

82. never. no republican has appealed to my sense of fairness and social

justice.

[karlrschneider]

84. I did once. For Goldwater in 64, my first eligible election,

I was somewhat of a conservative then (and in some ways I still am, but recognize the word means nothing like it did back then and also I kind of 'knew' him having chatted with him over amateur radio previously.

[Taxloss]

85. For GOLDWATER?

Wow. We have a winner.

[onecitizen]

86. Nope, no , zip,.......

nine (German for "no",no?) , uh-uh, never.

[laylah]

87. Once

Senator Bob Schaeffer of Colorado, 1992 because he did my ex and I a VERY good deed. The one and only time.

Jenn

[indepat]

89. Voted for Nixon in 1968 because he promised to eliminate the deficit:

what a fool I was.