Ok, so I am pretty sure I have been a Democrat since I vaguely knew what “defined” Democrats and Republicans. My parents were basically Dems. My Dad being mostly a Dem, though he voted for Reagan both times. And my Mom a Dem, voting for Reagan once I believe. My sis is a Dem and my bro…well, I can’t always figure him out politically. He has voted for Ross Perot, Clinton, Bush 43…he is all over the map.
I grew up in a pretty smallish town in the center of North Dakota named Minot. Population 35,000. North Dakota is a very rural state. Really there are only 4 towns that have more than 30,000 people in them. Lots of farming there and a couple of very prominent Air Force Bases in Minot and Grand Forks. It is barren, mosquito laden in the summer, and ridiculously cold in the winter (like 80 degrees below zero cold for 2 days in my senior year of high school….TOO frickin cold!) I am not really sure why people choose to live there. Sorry to all my buddies still living there! 
The state of ND has voted Republican for president every election since I have been alive. So you can imagine that I always felt in the minority to consider myself a Democrat. My family was low-middle to low income and my dad managed to raise 3 kids on a salary that would make your head spin. I have always felt deeply that government really should do what they can to help a family like the one my dad supported to succeed. Not to give us a handout…but to make that kind of life liveable for a hardworking man trying to keep his wife at home and raise 3 kids.
The first presidential election I could vote in was 1992. I still lived in ND…I was in my senior year of college. I knew my vote for President Clinton would be a “waste” because my state would go Republican, but I just didn’t care. I felt so proud to cast that vote. The only voting experience that has surpassed that was yesterday’s. I went to my polling place and it was busy. I knew the vote I was casting would probably help Barack Obama carry a state (Washington) that has gone blue for several elections now.
The enormity of casting a vote for the first black presidential candidate felt amazing. There are very few black people where I grew up, and all of them I knew only because I lived in one of the two military base towns. Otherwise, I can say I would not have known any until at least college and maybe later. I have heard a lot of racist attitudes growing up in a place like that. I was heartened to hear that my 85 year old grandfather cast his vote for Barack Obama yesterday. I was sincerely MOVED. This is a man that has some racism in himself and yet, cast it aside because he honestly felt that Obama was the man for the job.
Brandon and I watched the returns last night with Aidan and our dear friend Catherine. When the clock hit 8pm (PST) we just knew it was coming. Our state of Washington was one of the 3 that were called for Obama at 8pm and pushed him over the 270 electoral votes. We were all in tears. Watching the 200,000 people in Grant Park was inspiring. It was wonderful to me that such a huge moment in the history of our country was witnessed by our 3 year old son. He will not remember it, but I am so happy he was here to witness it all.
Obama’s speech was nothing short of inspirational. Again we were moved to tears. Instead of gloating, Obama reached out. I am very proud to be in a country where anything is possible. What a historic election. For the first time, we can honestly tell all of our children that anything is possible for them. And that is change we can believe in.