Ideological purity in elections: How conservative is conservative enough?

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How Republican do you have to be to run for office?

When does basic, conservative underpinnings have to give way to ideological purity?

As I have written many times, I am no longer Republican.

Being something besides a Republican or a democrat tends to lend itself to independence.

I freely admit I typically lean towards candidates who claim Republican ideas. I do that primarily not because of what Republicans are, but because of what they're SUPPOSED to be.

Those who claim to want to reign in government are likely to get my attention. Those who have a plan to reduce government interference in my life? I give them a second look. Those who run on a platform of reducing taxes and the power of government employee unions? I'll work for them. Those who understand that when society suffers, government employees can, in fact, not only live without pay increases, they can live with pay reductions... like most of us do. And those I support get precisely one shot to keep their word.

But I don't always vote Republican. Because sometimes, the Republican doesn't have a clue.

I voted for Brian Sonntag (Democrat State Auditor) last cycle. He wasn't the only democrat I voted for by far, because there were some democrats I voted for locally and statewide that were decent people when the Republicans they were running against were clueless, corrupt, morons. And, no doubt, I will vote for some democrats in the future, because no matter the relatively lofty heights I achieved in the GOP, the blinders of party loyalty and allegiance when the candidate is not competent or honorable have long since been ripped off and torn to shreds.

And too many candidates are neither.

So, tonight, I get a phone call from a friend, someone I have known for at least 10 years. And this friend is wanting to know why they should support candidate X.

Well, I am not candidate X, first and foremost, so candidate X should speak for themselves.

That said, this friend wanted to know what Republican issues candidate X had been out front on.

I indicated that candidate X had been largely responsible for getting Candidate Y elected recently, and that most likely wouldn't have happened without their assistance.

It was like my friend hadn't even heard me. My friend repeated the question as if I had remained mute.

I asked my friend if they believed that Candidate Y was a Republican. Absolutely came the reply, with conviction.

I asked for a recitation of Candidate Y's pre-election political activities.

There was none... because there wasn't any. Candidate Y had not been involved in Republican politics or issues at all.

I pointed out that Candidate X had worked on many Republican campaigns. But, I was informed, in the primary, Candidate X had supported Candidate Z. Nevertheless, I pointed out, again, without the involvement of Candidate X, Candidate Y would not be an office holder today.

It made no difference to my friend. I told them, then, if they could not support Candidate X, then by all means, support someone else. I also said that I, personally, was supporting Candidate X and that my friend had 2 choices: either support candidate X because of my personal recommendation.... or don't. That, I said, is the nature of democracy in America today.

I support Candidate X because of their age, education, experience, knowledge of the issues and personal philosophies. I have known Candidate X for 5 years, and in all of that time, I have never heard them utter a word that could be described as "leftist."

But how pure is pure enough?

Shades of Adolph Eichmann.

Where does pragmatism trump purity? What's the percentage required to gain support? If you agree with someone 80% of the time, is that enough? Or are we just electing someone who will only represent you while ignoring the other 130,000 or so people in the district?

Frequently, I wished I was building hot rods for a living.

After I hung up tonight, this was one of those times.
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