When the Party You Once Loved Leaves You Behind

I was raised in a smallish town on California’s Central Coast. My father and mother were both Republican. I remember that my dad cried when Nixon was elected — happy tears, probably patriotic emotion. My parents never discussed politics other than letting me know whom they would be voting for.

When I turned 18 I happily joined the Republican Party. My eventual husband was a Republican, too. Our three boys knew our political views, but as they got into high school we wanted them to ask questions. One teacher was very vocal in her Democratic beliefs. This angered some parents, but we told our boys to listen and, if they didn’t agree, to ask questions and do some of their own homework. They each eventually registered Republican. Two moved to the Democratic Party in their mid-20s.

Anyway, come 2015, the Republican presidential candidate appeared. I shifted to independent, knowing that the beliefs of my parents were no longer represented in the Republican Party. For president I reluctantly voted Democratic (my husband did not vote for any president that year). I’m pretty disgusted with the Republican Party and have a low opinion of the Democratic Party. Looking for that midrange representation but not really finding anyone.

Sandra

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