Block Walking and Swearing Allegiance

I love block walking. I love meeting the individuals who live in Senate District 28, I love hearing what is important to them, and I especially like the good conversations we get to have with those who are supporters, but also with those who flat out tell me that I won't get their vote, simply because I am a Democrat.

Tonight I met such an individual. He thought it was interesting that I didn't identify my political party on my flyer or my signs. He made it clear to me that he votes as a staunch republican. He even told me to move on down the road because he probably wasn't going to vote for me, simply because I have a (D) next to my name.

But I appreciated the moment to have a good conversation with this man, who agreed that if we were in a Sunday school class we would have many similar views. He couldn't get his brain around why I am a Democrat, and asked me, if I have such strong family values, why I didn't just align myself with the Republican party instead. I told him because I am a Democrat, not a Republican. He also told me that he couldn't vote for me, because he felt that if push came to shove, I would vote with the Democrats... I told him that I would always vote for what's RIGHT, no matter if it is a Republican idea or a Democrat idea. He told me that was wrong... that I should swear allegiance to my political party.

I don't believe that at all. I believe that I should swear allegiance to the United States of America, and to the State of utah, and to the citizens who live here.

What I'm learning more than anything... I'm sick of partisan politics. I'm tired of the litmus tests of "how do you feel about abortion" and "are you pro-family-enough??" Isn't it enough anymore to trust that a person will work hard and make the *right* decisions for Utah families? Partisan politics is ruining America. In Utah, we need to stand above this. We need to be better than this. We absolutely *must* put partisan politics aside, and vote for the person who will do the very best job for those who live here.

Thank you to all of the people who live in Senate District 28 for making me work harder for you, for being absolutely committed to your ideals, and for being honest regarding the values and issues that are important to you. *These* are the values which I promise to uphold, not the values of some political party. This is what America, and more importantly, what Utah is all about.