Primary Day in Ohio

B and I had a wonderful time in D.C., and I will definitely be blogging later this week about our trip. However, today is Primary day in Ohio. So many states before us have come and gone, and now it's our turn. Though I predicted awhile back that by the time Ohioans got around to voting the nominees for each party would be decided, I was wrong. Instead we find ourselves in the spotlight once again, with the potential to change the course of the political landscape, especially for the Democrats.

Ohio, at least since we've been here, always seems to be a state where the votes, once tallied, change direction or make a final decision on a national level. There's a lot of emphasis here, especially since Ohio has one of the worst economies in the country. Especially northeast Ohio, where I live. Once a thriving industrial town, jobs are gone and the people have left in droves. Huge parts around the city of Cleveland are deserted. There are few opportunities here unless you know the right people. Most of the Cleveland/Akron area is overcome by a strong blue collar mentality. There are a lot of good people here who work hard, but do little to change the situation this part of the state has gotten themselves into. There are a lot of things going for this area - Lake Erie, decent weather (at least for the Midwest), beautiful landscapes and really a good location. It's a shame most people spend their time complaining about the situation but doing nothing to change it. They keep electing the same worthless officials, and take no steps to become active in the community and make a difference.

So when the national politicians come here and talk about what they can do for Ohio, people listen. They still trust politicians here. And remember, they want change but keep looking to the same people for it, even if they are corrupt and worthless. It's a different mentality, so the votes reflect that.

I waited until after work to vote. The polls didn't open soon enough in the morning for me to make it to work on time. I debated in my head all day how I was going to cast my vote. At this point there is a bit of strategy; the November election is where you vote for who you want. In the primary, sometimes you vote for person #2 just so person #1 doesn't get the nomination. It was silly, really, because Ohioans and their mindset greatly outnumber me. So I got in the car around 5:30, spent over 90 minutes getting to the polling place in the rain and ice, and I made my vote. I got in right away, but saw from the lists that the turnout for the day appeared to be pretty strong. I had to make the decision. I made my choice for the candidate. I walked away respecting my decision, and eager to see who the rest of the state chose. My guess is that I was probably not in the majority this evening, but maybe Ohioans will surprise me.