Yes, Your Vote Counts!

Yesterday, July 31, 2012 was a monumental day in Texas. Though the national media refuses to take notice, proclaiming that the Tea Party is dead, Ted Cruz “clinched the Texas Republican Senate nomination” by 13 percentage points over the establishment Republican candidate, David Dewhurst.

Quite often, we hear someone say they never vote because their vote doesn’t count. History proves otherwise:

1960: John F. Kennedy (D) defeats Richard Nixon (R) by 84 Electoral Votes and won the popular vote by .2%
1844: James Polk (D) defeats Henry Clay (Whig) by 65 Electoral Votes and won the popular vote by 1.4%
1880: James Garfield (R) defeats Winfield Hancock (D) by 59 Electoral Votes and won the popular vote by .1%
1888: Benjamin Harrison (D) defeats Grover Cleveland (R) by 37 Electoral Votes but the popular vote by .8%
1884: Grover Cleveland (D) defeats James Blaine (R) by 37 Electoral Votes and wins the popular vote by .7%
1848: Zachary Taylor (Whig) defeats Lewis Cass (D) by 36 Electoral Votes and wins the popular vote by 4.8%
2004: George W. Bush (R) defeats John Kerry (D) by 35 Electoral Votes and wins the popular vote by 2.4%
1916: Woodrow Wilson (D) defeats Charles Hughes (R) by 23 Electoral Votes and wins the popular vote by 3.1%
2000: George W. Bush (R) defeats Al Gore (D) by 5 Electoral Votes but loses the popular vote by .5%
1876: Rutherford Hayes (R) defeats Samuel Tilden (D) by 1 Electoral Vote but loses the popular vote by 3%

While the Cruz-Dewhurst race gained national attention, a much lesser known race speaks to the power of We The People.

While voting yesterday, my husband and I were met by a gentleman standing outside our voting precinct. He had a ‘NRA’ hat on, and told us that he was running for precinct chairman in our precinct. He informed us that he was running against the incumbent, who refused to show up to debate him.

As we talked to him, we assured him he would have our vote.

This morning we checked the results, and Brad McCally won with 4 single votes. Not 4 percentage points, not 40 votes…. 1, 2, 3, 4 votes. My husband and I were two of those four votes.

Had I not met Mr. McCally and talked with him, I would have not voted in that race. I choose not to vote when I am uninformed. However, because of Mr. McCally taking the time to talk to voters, he won by 4 votes. His opponent, Larry E. Hughes, refused to debate Mr. McCally, nor was he at the polling center.

Folks, we have to get involved! This is our country! YOUR vote DOES count!