It’s Time to Vote for Country, Not Party

When I was young, my dad had three rules for us: never buy a Ford, always root against the Green Bay Packers, and always vote a straight Republican ticket. Like so many young people, I followed the political path of my father. As a military spouse and daughter and granddaughter of veterans, I voted for President George W. Bush. As I created my own future, I started becoming more independent, especially as the Republican Party opposed marriage rights to same-sex couples. Today, I cannot vote for Jason Lewis to represent me in Congress. Instead of standing up to President Trump, he has embraced the rhetoric and policies that seek to divide us. Jason Lewis has also failed to meet with his constituents – a core part of serving as a representative of the people – in order to hear our perspectives and to share his. Today, I am proud to say that neither my husband nor I will be voting for candidates like Jason Lewis.

I urge others, especially women, to break with the idea of automatically voting Republican just because your family always has.