philly

Speaking of us, I just got finished reading through Chris Bowers' post on his first ward endorsement meeting [for the Democratic Primary] in Ward 27 over in West Philly. Chris was appointed to a vacant spot and is a committeeperson and is currently running to be elected for the first time in the May 16th primary in Division 23.

Twenty-one out of thirty-two (65%) of the committeepeople showd up for the official endorsement vote. He noted that it is the time for finals [he lives in a very college-heavy area] and several of them were in school hard at work. Who has time for an endorsement when there's o-chem to cram, yay!

The ward voted to endorse progressive candidate for Lt. Governor Valerie McDonald Roberts. They also voted to endorse conservative candidate for US Senate Bob Casey. Two ends of the spectrum of the Democratic party if you can still call Casey a Democrat. Chris noted several times on how interesting it was that in what he thinks may be the most progressive ward in the entire state decided to go with the progressive candidate for Lt. Governor, but turn around and vote to endorse Casey as well.

Chris also parsed out the twenty-one people and noted their voting tendencies throughout the night which were interesting. It's a good read. Insightful. It's a look into the stuff that I want to get involved in. Providing that I can win one of the two contested seats in my area [Ward 5 Division 8], I'll be able to make an impassioned speech [as he did for Pennacchio] for the candidate I strongly believe in at an endorsement meeting.

I do not worry about what "message" my vote in the primary sends to people, because my vote is what I believe in. I believe that primaries are where you should always and only vote for what you believe in. If I thought my beliefs sent the wrong message to people, I would quit politics right now. Many Americans think that Democrats do not stand for anything. If, in our own primaries, when only Democrats are choosing among potential candidates, we vote not for what we believe in, but rather for what we think will appeal to the most people, then how can we ever combat the belief that Democrats do not stand for anything?

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