2004 Primary: Kerry
2004: Kerry
2008 CA Primary: Ron Paul
2008 General: Write in Ron Paul (He was an OFFICIAL write in candidate in Calfornia)
In 2004 I just turned 18, but I was already starting to become libertarian. So why Kerry? Well, the main issue in 2004 was the Iraq War, and the violation of civil liberties by the Bush administration. I thought it was important to vote for whoever was running against Bush to send an anti-neocon message. I was actually a Howard Dean supporter in the primaries because he seemed strong against the war, but the CA primary came around when Kerry was already the presumptive nominee, so I just voted for him. I voted for Kerry in the general, and, believe it or not, I would vote for him again if I went back in time to 2004, because the message if Bush lost would have been one thing: American reject the Iraq War and the Patriot Act. I was never for Kerry, just anti-Bush.
In 2006 I was fed up with the Democrats weak opposition to Bush and switched party registration to Libertarian and became involved with the local chapter here in Southern California. In late 2006 at the convention they were talking about Ron Paul. I searched him online and I was like damn I wish he would run for President someday! Three Months later I read online that he announced his exploratory committee.