When Candidates Come To My Door

We moved to Georgia over ten years ago. Within the first year or so after moving here, I still had no idea who any of the local political candidates were, and realized they did not seem to "visit" with their constituents that much.

For the past eight years I have said that I would vote for any candidate, Democrat or Republican, who showed up at my door and asked for my vote. Why would I say such a thing? Because it never happens here. Since it never happens, I figure it's only fair that I vote for someone to takes time out of their day to walk the streets and meet the people.

Before we moved into this house, I did have the chance to meet the incumbent candidate for mayor. He happened to be canvasing our neighborhood one day while I was moving my 200 pound lathe table from the garage out to my workshop. I was moving the table by myself on a dolly, when I hit a small hole in the yard and the table shifted and fell on top of me.

There I was, pinned to the ground, and I hear this voice from the driveway. "Hi there, I'm running for mayor. How are you today?" I looked up to see him standing there, staring at me. Sarcastically, I said, "I am fine thanks and you?" He mentioned something about canvasing the neighborhood to see how people felt about the issues, and some other stuff about the city budget, reform, and keeping our town beautiful. He placed some campaign literature on my Volkswagen Bus and walked back up the driveway to visit the next neighbor. Just on a side note, it took me another 15 minutes to get out from under the table.

Needless to say, I did not vote for him, and shortly after that incident we moved into the house (and the town) we are in now.

We've been in this house nearly five years, and I have kept the same policy. Any candidate that shows up at my door and asks for my vote, deserves it. I can feel the cringes from both sides of the aisle, but the way I figure it, if they take the time to come clear out here to the sticks just to tell me their position on the issues and ask for my vote, they should get it. Showing up at my door demonstrates that they are willing to walk the walk, and they take extra effort to do their job.

Last week, I had my very first visit from a Georgia politician, at my front door. Her name is Vicki Bearden and she's running for Tax Commissioner.

Whenever I meet a political candidate I ask them what they plan to do that is any different than what's already being done and what is the one thing they will change once they are elected?

We chatted for about 10 minutes out on my front porch as she told me why she was running, what she will change once she is elected, and most importantly, the things she finds important about serving as Tax Commissioner.

She was very polite, very knowledgeable about the job, and very enthusiastic about her community. More importantly she impressed the hell out of me. She took the time to venture out here to the sticks, to walk the walk and meet with the people of our community.

I appreciate her taking the time out of her schedule to walk down my street, and she can count on my vote on election day, as well as this, my first public political endorsement of the 2008 campaign.

It's been a long time since any political candidate impressed me like she has, and I look forward to seeing her victory on election day!

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