I just found out one of my best friends voted straight Repuke

[budkin]

in Texas. He's average middle class and pretty independent usually, and he justified his vote by saying that he was happy with the local govt and knew that his vote for prez wouldn't matter here anyway. Also he said that he knew Obama would win and he is scared of one party controlling everything. Honestly I didn't buy his bullshit, I think the real reason is because he is a closet racist. He used to tell "N" jokes when we were kids and a lot of his friends and co-workers are racist Repukes as well. This has me totally questioning our friendship and it sucks. I'm quite distraught over the whole thing.

[phantom power]

1. I will say this...

1) Voters are almost always happy with *their* local reps, and vote for the incumbent about 98% of the time.

2) Voters do very frequently vote to avoid "one party rule." My wife actually said this after the election. "I'm a bit worried about dems controlling the executive branch and legislative."

I obviously couldn't know whether your friend has latent racism, but the reasons he gave you are, frustratingly enough, very common reasons for a lot of voters.

[Two Sheds]

2. Don't be distraught...think. If you think your friend is at all salvageable...

politically, don't give up on him as a potential vote in 2012. Don't over-proselytize and you may be pleasantly surprised in four years.