Update

[zadrock]

Been in front of the polls since 7:30 or so handing out fliers. Very few Republicans. Voted at 11 and the election judge says it's running 5 to 1 D to R. The weather makes it very hard to talk to people, so hopefully the flier gets the message across. (It's the "True Conservative" flier posted somewhere in the Grassroots forum - picture with Reagan with quote about Paul's strong defense policy along with summaries of other issues.)

I'm at home for the moment, having a quick lunch and trying to warm up. I've been inside for 10 mins. and I'm still shivering. Now it's started snowing, so I've got to prepare for that and then get back out there.

Only other people out are for Obama and they left right before me. They were pretty fun to hang out with. This 52yo black woman kept calling me "her Ron Paul brother." Unfortunately, I have yet to find another black Republican. She kept teasing me that it wasn't gonna happen. I told her that RP had more support from blacks than any other Republican - she said she believed me, but didn't expect to see evidence of that in MD. Then I told her we had a RP Republican running for Congress and we were gonna take Elijah Cummings' seat. She had a good laugh at that one. (Cummings replaced Kweisi Mfume, for an idea of what kind of district we're dealing with here.)

Best interaction: I handed one guy my flier and he said, "Conservative? No one is as conservative as me. I thought Barry Goldwater was a liberal.... Do you even know who that is?" I said, "Yes, Ron Paul is the heir to Goldwater and his son endorsed Ron Paul." The guy looked pleasantly surprised at that response and walked off reading the flier intently.

More to come...

Z

 

[tommyzDad]

Great job, Z. Good luck up in MD!!!

 

[kathy88]

NICE on the Goldwater plug. Very quick on your feet I feel your pain. It's freezing here, I'm glad our primary is in APRIL. LOL.

 

[Coola]

I just returned from the polls. I saw a bunch of hillary signs and some ron paul signs and a large ron paul sign with lots of news paper clippings and articles attached to it, right at the entrance sidewalk into the school to vote lol. Very awesome stuff!

 

[kathy88]

The clippings on the sign are an EXCELLENT idea.

 

[VRP08]

Thanks for working so hard!!

 

[jlizgar]

I voted at about 9:30 10:00!
I didnt see any Paul signs at my polling place and on my way to IHOP after voting I saw lots of McCain signs
Im sure the Paul people will be out in full force later, I went pretty early.

Liz

 

[jumpyg1258]

I voted at about 9:30 10:00!
I didnt see any Paul signs at my polling place and on my way to IHOP after voting I saw lots of McCain signs
Im sure the Paul people will be out in full force later, I went pretty early.

Liz

Which district are you in? Im in MD4 and I have yet to see any signs but Ron's.

 

[me3]

Call any Republicans you know, and volunteer to take them to the polls!

Increase turnout! Bring people with you!

 

[zadrock]

Call any Republicans you know,

Are you familiar with Maryland?

Here's how my day has gone:
Me: "Hello. Are you a Republican?"
Responses:
"No."
"NO!!"
"No way."
"Not on your life."
"Never."
"Yes." (gets flier from me) "Sorry, I mean no." (this actually happened multiple times.)

We are a very blue state, unfortunately. If I knew any Republicans to call, other than those in meetup groups, I'd be all over it. But frankly, it's just assumed that everyone is a Democrat.

To follow up on my earlier post, I DID find another black Republican. He seemed interested in Ron Paul, but didn't say whether he'd vote for him. Take that, my Obama sister!

The sleet has started and the voting has died down, so I'm taking another break. The weather is a concern for me - people are already hesistant to slow down and talk to me because of the cold. If it really starts raining/sleeting/snowing, it will make my job near impossible. There's no shelter within the electioneering area, unfortunately. Maybe I need to set up a tent with coffee and donuts...

Z

 

[jlizgar]

I voted at about 9:30 10:00!
I didnt see any Paul signs at my polling place and on my way to IHOP after voting I saw lots of McCain signs
Im sure the Paul people will be out in full force later, I went pretty early.

Liz

I am in Maryland district 8

 

[pathis]

I voted at about 9:30 10:00!
I didnt see any Paul signs at my polling place and on my way to IHOP after voting I saw lots of McCain signs
Im sure the Paul people will be out in full force later, I went pretty early.

Liz

Voted today around 1pm. Polling place was empty (PG Cnty D4), just random people coming and going. No RP signs at the polling place, but then again no Republican signs at all. Mostly just all Obama and local Dem Congress signs.

Very cold outside, could be holding people back. Hopefully the other Rep candidate folks dont like them enough to actually go out into the cold and vote.

 

[Gtex]

Very nice work in any form of weather!

 

[j6p]

Got back from voting. Random people coming and going. saw two ron paul signs and two huckleberry signs, local cannidate signs. No mc. cain. District 7

 

[KevinR]

Weather wasn't too bad here at the University of Obama at College Park :]

 

[SWATH]

Are you familiar with Maryland?

Maybe I need to set up a tent with coffee and donuts...

Z

Good idea, Put up a big sign above it that reads "UNDECIDED VOTERS CHECK IN HERE BEFORE YOU VOTE" or "KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE"

 

[seapilot]

I voted at about 9:30 10:00!
I didnt see any Paul signs at my polling place and on my way to IHOP after voting I saw lots of McCain signs
Im sure the Paul people will be out in full force later, I went pretty early.

Liz

The McCain lobbyists strike again

 

[Arek]

Well Maryland is a liberal state so it seems the liberal republicans in Maryland want it to be a two-way liberal race in November. Then they'll vote for the most liberal candidate.

 

[Laja]

Thanks so much for your really hard work, Z! May we do well in MD!

 

[zadrock]

Well Maryland is a liberal state so it seems the liberal republicans in Maryland want it to be a two-way liberal race in November. Then they'll vote for the most liberal candidate.

So you think they'll vote McCain?

Most surprising exchange today:
Hi, are you Republican?
No, sorry.
Don't be sorry. You're with the overwhelming majority today. Things look good for you in November.
Yeah, well, let me tell you something - if it's Obama vs. McCain, I'm voting for McCain.



Z