SAN ANGELO, Texas I have voted in every election since I was old enough. I have served as precinct election judge for 20 some years. Now what I am suggesting may seem contrary, but do not vote in this primary! I wont.

It is not I dont care. Bear with me here. I finally became sufficiently disgusted with the Republican Party I took off to the Libertarians. When you register to vote in Texas, you do not register by party. You only affiliate by the act of selecting the ballot of a party.

If one votes in the primary, one effectively has affiliated for the next two years. I will not be voting so that I can be part of the Libertarian Convention process.

Unlike the major parties, Libertarians nominate by convention. Were I to vote in the primary, I would be ineligible to participate in that convention. In that I am treasurer/secretary of the local Libertarian Party and a member of its state rules committee, that would be embarrassing.

If you find todays fighting over the scraps politics distasteful, and polling shows many of us do, consider the Libertarian alternative.

Many people I talk with tell me, Yes I like the ideas, but you cant win. I am realist enough to know this. We Libertarians are not going to sweep into Congress this election, or the next, but it has to start somewhere.

I remember when the Texas primary was effectively the election, and whoever won the Democratic Primary was assured election. That ended with Queen Ann, the Democrats last gasp; Lord a mercy she was a speaker Id put her up against William Jennings Bryan, but I digress. Not a bad governor, by the way.

Republicans? Who cared, they didnt matter.

I did not leave the Republican Party lightly. I had some clout there, enough that major players spoke to me with respect. It was not an easy decision, and I knew I was starting a long trail on untested ground. I will tell you this, I sleep better. I am supporting something I actually believe.

The Libertarian precinct conventions will be at 7:30 p.m. on March 11 at Hildalgos Cafe on Sherwood Way. I can pretty much promise that anyone attending will become a delegate to our county convention, also at Hildalgos, at 7:30 p.m. on March 15. Pretty short step from there to the state convention in Temple, where the fun starts.

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JIM RYAN: If you're a Libertarian, skip the primaries