Election fever

So we've got a primary election coming up in a few weeks and I was really looking forward to going to my polling place and requesting a Democratic ballot. Just like last year, I'll bring the twins in their stroller, and people will oooh and ahhh at their cuteness, even while looking askance at my choice of political party. I love to vote in person anyway, and this all just gives it that little extra zing.

Then I got my sample ballot in the mail.

OK, so I get to vote for Jerry Brown for Governor, that's fine, and Barbara Boxer for Senator, that's fine, and I'll have to learn more about the candidates for some of the other offices, that's all fine. But then we get to the local primary races. US Representative: NOBODY running (on the Democratic side, that is). State Senator: ONE person running. Member of the State Assembly: ONE person running. Oh dear.

Our current (and future) US Representative is Kevin McCarthy, darling of the GOP and just about as lovely as that makes him sound. Our current Assemblyperson is staunch Republican Jean Fuller, and she's now apparently a shoe-in for State Senator.

But then there's the race for Assembly, since Jean Fuller is moving on and up. BIG nasty contest between Republicans Ken Mettler and Shannon Grove -- and another Shannon, Shannon Holloway, who announced a few weeks back that Ken Mettler had asked her to run in order to confuse the voters with too many Shannons. Oh yeah, Ken Mettler is a charmer. Shannon Grove is the normal GOP-type person. Ken Mettler is the TEA PARTY person. In other words, the Rand Paul of Kern County.



I've been seeing a lot of big signs around town. First it was Shannon Grove here, Shannon Grove there. Then the Ken Mettler signs started appearing. I don't think you can read it (sorry about the photo), but her sign says REPUBLICAN for State Assembly and his sign says CONSERVATIVE for Assembly. What is the difference? Is "Conservative" secret code for "Tea Party Nutcase"? Interesting things are happening on the Right these days.

There have been several letters to the local newspapers about how wonderful Ken Mettler is. Ah, Ridgecrest, how we love you.

I googled the Democratic candidate for Assembly, Holly Spohn-Gross, and it turns out she's a podiatrist in Lake Isabella, sounds like a great person -- except that she withdrew from the race a few weeks ago. Although apparently you CAN'T actually withdraw from the race at this point, she's not going to campaign. I guess I don't blame her, but it seems a shame.

Yes, yes, it keeps going through my mind that I should have signed up to run for one of these offices -- I could have listed my occupation as "Housewife/Blogger," so trendy! -- but I'm completely unqualified, not to mention slightly busy with those devilishly charming two-year-old twins.

Speaking of which, and also speaking of fever, I was terribly sick this week, with what turned out to be strep throat. As the week wore on, I started feeling really put out that I had to continue taking care of two-year-old twins and my various other responsibilities while feeling this bad. I felt as though there ought to be a special law prohibiting this. The law would state that when mothers passed a certain point of sickness, someone HAD to step in and take over. Preferably an outside person (not the father, who would then hand it all back to the mother to do as soon as the police officer went away). These feelings came to a head Friday night (after I'd finally been diagnosed and started taking an antibiotic, but before it had had any effect on me) when I told Rocket Boy that I did not want to be the twins' mother anymore, I would like to be their AUNT. I would visit them often, shower them with gifts, but I DID NOT WANT TO BE IN CHARGE!

Today I'm so much better and I'm in charge again and I'm fine with that. But I think for now I will forgo attempting to be in charge of any part of Kern County. If we stay here long enough, though, hmmm.