If you are in Tennessee...

So election day is quickly approaching and voters in Tennessee, at least Tennessee voters who normally vote for democratic candidates, have an odd problem to deal with. You see the Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP) apparently weren't too concerned with finding a good candidate to challenge Bob Corker for his seat in the US Senate. Who can blame them, a democrat beating Corker is almost unthinkable. But their lack of concern has caused a major problem. You see the candidate who won the democratic primary for Corker's seat was a man named Mark Clayton who is the vice-president of a group called The Public Advocate of the United States. This group has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for their anti-gay and anti-immigrant stances. They also seem to be quite fond of completely irrational conspiracy theories but none of that stopped them from getting their vice-president voted in as the democratic candidate for the US Senate in Tennessee. After realizing the horrible set of events that had resulted from their neglect the TNDP quickly disavowed Clayton and called for voters to vote for anyone but him. So this leaves democratic voters in Tennessee a few choices as to what to do when they head to the polls.

1. Vote for Bob Corker. I know he is a republican, but he isn't the worst republican out there and this is the most obvious course of action.

2. Vote for a third party candidate. This choice will probably hold a lot of appeal for many people, but be very careful and make sure you do your research. That 3rd party candidate you know nothing about could be as crazy as Clayton.

3. Don't vote. I don't mean don't vote at all, just skip the senatorial election and move on. This is probably the easiest course of action, but if you were into taking the easy way out you wouldn't be a liberal living in Tennessee.

or there is always option 4...

4. Vote for me.

So here's the deal. The TNDP is suggesting that voters write in a candidate in the senatorial election and if you are going to follow their suggestion you might as well write my name in. Why would you write in Ernest George Oeser IV on your ballot? Because if enough people do, and it might not take a lot to be "enough" it could have some pretty powerful consequences. Let's face facts, I have zero chances of winning, but if I get enough votes the media will start sniffing around to find out who I am. If you are reading this blog there is a good chance you like what I have been saying and so it couldn't be a bad thing for more people to read it. Secondly if an openly gay man, like myself, were to get enough votes in a statewide election in Tennessee it would certainly cause a lot of consternation for right wing evangelicals in this state and seeing them in a state of consternation is always good for a laugh or two. Thirdly it would show that the people in this state are not all cookie cutter conservatives. Many of us actually care about, not only the middle class, but also the poor. It would show that we don't believe in bigotry aimed at any group and that issues like health care and education are important to us. It would show that we are sick and tired of not being effectively represented in our own state and that if the TNDP can't help us that we are willing to start working on our own behalf's. So, my fellow Tennesseans, when you go to the polls don't vote for Corker and certainly don't vote for Clayton. No, vote for change, very indirect change, vote for me, Ernest George Oeser IV, cause I have no chance of winning. Don't forget to share this with your friends, I want to come in 2nd place!