Political calculations and wasting votes

I’ve been involved in some conversations with various people, and I was asked about whether it’s better for evangelicals to bail out on Mike Huckabee now, rather than see him nominated, lose the general election, and suffer the recriminations. The establishment party power-brokers and the fiscal conservative/libertarians would love to be able to break the religious right’s hold on power by pointing to a loss blamed squarely on the social conservatives.

And, my friend feared, loss might come, if the Republican nominee was abandoned or feebly supported by the powers that be. Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck, George Will, the editors of The Wall Street Journal, the editors of National Review, and many other powerful commentators and news sources have lined up pretty squarely against Gov. Huckabee at this point. While he also has a number of powerful and important endorsements — Janet Folger, Rick Calhoun, Jim Gilchrist, the Home School Legal Defense Association, and such — it might well be that the Republican base will not turn out in large numbers, and so we get into that situation.

A loss blamed on us … for dividing the party, for being social conservatives, or for whatever reason.

All I can say, and all I will ever say, is that a person should vote his or her conscience. For my own part, I believe that Mike Huckabee is the right candidate for this election. He’s a good man, and he shares my values. He’s honest. He’s decent. He’s hard-working.

I don’t play these calculating games. Call it what you will — I like to think that I’m just honest about my conscience and do what I think it right. Others might say that I’m just naive. I just don’t think that way. Losing to win, compromising my values, so on and so forth, these aren’t my sorts of things.

I believe that the right thing to do is find the candidate in whom I believe, and support that candidate. I should change candidates if I come to decide that someone else is better for the job.

I have my candidate. I believe in him. I’m not going to change that support just because someone else doesn’t support him.

Neither should anyone else. Always … absolutely always! … vote for what you think is best. If you really believe that Ron Paul is the best candidate, then you should support him. If you really think that Fred Thompson is the best candidate, support him. If you really think that Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, Gene Amondson, Hillary Clinton, Joe Schriner, Mitt Romney, or your net-door neighbor is the best candidate, then you should get behind him/her and vote for him/her come that time.

The only way to waste your vote is to vote for someone you don’t want to win.

A wasted vote is one cast for a “front-runner” when the voter really wants someone else. We only get one vote each per election. Don’t waste it on anyone other than the person who reflects your values, and in whom you believe as the best person for the job.

I, of course, want to convince you that Mike Huckabee is that person. But I only want you to vote for him if you believe as I do.

Not because Chuck Norris told you to (although you might want to think twice about disagreeing with Chuck Norris!).

Not because the HSLDA is behind him.

Not even because all of your friends are voting for Mike Huckabee.

I am going to vote for a person in whom I believe, and whom I trust to be the best President of all contenders. You should do that same.

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