Last-Minute/Game-Time Endorsement Change...

So, after changing my endorsement for US Senate several times throughout this primary, I stepped into the voting booth this morning and changed my mind one final time. It's got to be Ovide!

Ovide was my first choice early on in the race. I admit that I was a bit biased since his gubernatorial race was one of my first to be putting signs in the ground for with my uncle and best friend. Over time, my choice has wavered; Out of concern that Bill Binnie might give Ayotte the best challenge, I endorsed Kelly because of all the candidates, Binnie is the only one I would be disappointed to see win the nomination, and would need some convincing to help in any way during the general election.

As Binnie (and Ayotte) went negative, it became clear that Binnie was bleeding supporters and was no longer a threat, so I decided to look at the other candidates anew. Kelly is a good candidate, but there are some valid concerns that the libertarian/t.e.a./grass-roots GOP have brought up (not the least of which is the lack of unified support for her if she were to win the nomination), so I decided to look at Bender and Ovide more closely. In reality, there's not a lot of difference between the three on the major issues aside from Bender's pro-choice stance (which I dislike, but is not a federal legislature issue aside from use of federal funds which Bender is opposed to). Ovide hasn't really been tested this primary with all the hate between Ayotte and Binnie, Ovide and Bender were considered also-rans, and nobody really challenged him with his connections to the catholic church and phone jamming scandal (which the Democrats are sure to do in the general). My concerns with Ovide ran beyond that and into his stance on social issues. I'm a libertarian-leaning, Constitutionalist Republican who (aside from abortion) thinks the government should get out of the business of legislating morality. I believe marriage is a religious institution and the solution to the gay-marriage nonsense isn't more government (telling people who they can marry), but less (eliminating the need for any government endorsement for the religious ceremony). I am opposed to funding embrionic stem cell research, but I'm also opposed to funding any research. So, I settled in on Bender - fiscally conservative, socially moderate, solid Constitutionalist - what's not to like?

As the gap between Ovide and Kelly narrowed over this past week or two, I started second-guessing my endorsement. If my decision had come down to Ovide or Bender, why let Kelly run away with it when Ovide actually has a shot at taking her down? Still, I remained true to my principals; I showed up at the polls this morning and setup shop with my signs. A full totem with John Stephen, another full totem of Jennifer Horn signs. Then my third totem with Stephen, Horn, Jim Luther, Sandra Zeihm and..and..a Jim Bender to fill it out.

Still I was uneasy. I held those signs for a couple of hours before I decided it was time to cast my ballot and head home to do some work. I picked up my ballot and entered the booth closing the curtain behind me. All the way down I cast my votes, but when I hit that Senate box I paused; nay I skipped it finished the rest of the positions and came back. The pen went back and forth between Ovide and Bender several times before logic won out and I filled the circle for Ovide. This has been a tough race to settle on, but in then end, I feel confident that I've made the right choice (and maybe next time I'll stick with my first choice).