Did I not mention that GOP thing?

Today’s blog is inspired by the latest government shutdown.

I posted a selfie Tuesday shortly after voting in the Senate District 11 Republican primary. Someone exclaimed, “You’re a Republican????”

To which I replied, “What wonders never cease…” Not the snappiest response, admittedly.

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Yes, I’m a Republican. Here’s what happened: I switched a few years ago to vote in a closed GOP primary and decided to keep the R. It’s not like I had an overnight political epiphany. This was a choice of convenience.

Let me walk you through it.

I grew up in a Democratic Party household. A teenage recollection is my mom yelling at the TV — before it was fashionable — during the Watergate hearings.

I didn’t question that allegiance. I also never really thought about it all that much. When I moved to a more conservative community in northern Michigan, nothing really seemed to change. I don’t know if they still do this, but Michigan had open primaries. Regardless of what the voter card says, I could pick either the Republican or Democratic ballot on Primary Day.

Citrus County was predominantly Democratic when I arrived, but there were hints of a Republican uprising. First, a School Board member, then the Clerk of Courts, and it was off to the races for Republicans.

From a work standpoint, it became more challenging. As a registered Democrat, I didn't receive the GOP mail pieces, so I’d have to rely on my Republican co-workers to bring me their mail.

But I really started paying attention when party affiliation messed with my vote. Florida’s primaries are open only when there’s no general election. Some Republicans kept propping up ghost no-party-affiliation candidates in County Commission races, which closed the primaries to Republican voters only.

The first few times this happened, I switched Republican to vote in the Primary, then switched back to Democrat immediately afterward. The last time (I think it was 2024, but don’t hold me to that), I decided to just let the R ride. So, yeah, I’m a Republican.

Make no mistake. RINO — Republican in Name Only — that’s me. I’m not shy about it. I’m friendly with Republicans in Citrus County, I’m friendly with Democrats, and I’m friendly with all those in between. Partisanship is rarely an issue with me. I’d go NPA except that it defeats the primary purpose.

Partisanship generally stays in the background of our local politicians. I realize some commissioners, past and present, have shunned constituents because they don’t share the same political party. That is flat wrong, and I wish it didn’t happen. 

Those same commissioners try to ram national or state issues through locally to score points with politicians higher up the ladder. 

I admire the commissioner or council member who openly stands up to that. Not by disagreeing with a position, but by pointing out it doesn’t belong at City Hall or the County Commission dais. That’s not their role, not their lane.

This thing in Washington is a blame game with real consequences. Our national world is so upside down right now that no one recognizes it. Motives are a little loosey-goosey. Not sure who or what to trust.

That’s why I have such comfort with the Citrus County Commission, the Crystal River City Council, and Inverness City Council. Differ with them all we want, but 99% of those differences are homegrown. We created them. We can solve them. Democrats. Republicans. Others. And the non-voters.

It’s a community/political concept foreign to Congress. We didn’t create their mess. We sure as heck can’t solve it.

But locally? That’s where the lion and the lamb lie together. No government shutdowns here. We talk it out for the community's greater good.

That’s our Thursday. Have a great one, friends.

P.S. Today’s photo is of the Cross Florida Barge Canal. As far as I know, it’s non-partisan.

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