I voted today on the first day of early voting in Arkansas and had a couple of realizations.

[soldierant]

21. I mailed my ballot last week and learned today it has been received.

I used pretty much the xame criteria, and have dome for a long time - with less and less thought as the GOP have become more and more extreme. There wwas a time, during my lifetie, when the GOp put up whio were worth considering. That hasn't been true for many years now. Even Lisa Murkowski, who may (or may not) be running as a Republican, gained her place on the ballot by an end run around the party. (and has endorce the Democratic candidate for the House).

For full disclosure, there was a short period when I lived in a state legislative district which was deep red, and there was a GOP primary in which they had pitted a RWNJ against a reasonable person. I took the necessary steps to cross over into that primary and vote for the reasonable person, who did win the primary and the general. I was far from alone, - that contrast was so stark that many frightened Democrats did the same. I have never regretted it. She later became our state insurance commissioner, and I have no cpmplaints about her there either. She just did her job. And that was the only time I have voted for a Republican since the Carter Administration at least.