Legitimate alternatives needed

Dear editor:

First, let me say that I am neither Democrat nor Republican. Labels are ruining and dividing this country. I am an American who feels it is his obligation to make informed votes each time there is an election.

So I am very disappointed in the Arkansas Democratic Party under the leadership (term used lightly) of Michael Gray, chair of the state party. Apparently, there may be no candidate or only a nominal run to replace Sen. Tom Cotton, and most likely no candidates locally to unseat Republicans in the Arkansas Legislature. I called our local Democrat headquarters (the phone usually just rings and no one picks up, but I finally talked to someone) and was told there was a candidate to oppose Bruce Westerman in the 4th Congressional District, but they didn’t “have the name in front” of them.

That’s pathetic. I’m not saying I would vote for the man running against Westerman, but I’m definitely not going to vote for Westerman. His record is abysmal.

But I also don’t make ignorant votes. I’m not going to walk into a booth and check the box just because it has the name of a party running against someone I oppose. That’s an uneducated vote and there are too many of those already out there.

I realize the gentleman running against Westerman doesn’t have the financial wherewithal or backing from the likes of the Koch brothers or the NRA, but if the Democratic Party in Arkansas has simply hung it up, please let us know, so legitimate alternatives can be explored. Casey Alexander Mount Ida