When electing a candidate do you go with head or heart?

This is the first time I ever truly participated in the Democratic process. And the head versus heart dilemma has arisen a lot. Do you go with the most electable candidate or the one you like the most?

In the presidential campaign, I went with my heart and was pulling for Dean, though I did not vote for him in the caucus because he was out of the race. But he was someone I believed in and that is why I went for him

In the Senate race, I went for Salazar because Salazar was the most electable and I knew he had a good chance at beating any Republican. Though I really like what Mike Miles has to say. They are both great men, but Miles has been more inspired, but I voted for Salazar because Salazar is the more "electable" candidate.

...materially.

If you want to express your heart, write a poem.

If you want to make a difference in the way people materially interact with their government and live life, vote with your head.

I was going to say something like this. Hammer. Nail. Head.

In 2000 i voted with my heart, for Nader. Look what happened. this year I'm using my noggin. Kerry on!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Your head should make rational decisions based on all the facts available. Your heart should then decide if the candidate's values and goals align with yours. When in doubt, support the candidate whose policies will benefit the most people.

You have to think it thru, then use your heart as part of the thinking process, also your gut reaction when you see or hear candidate is usually pretty reliable. That's why I was totally turned off to * the first time I saw him. The very first time I saw * my gut reaction to him was that he couldn't tell the truth, no matter what was at stake. I was totally right.

Gut feeling all the way, which to me is a combination of my head and heart and instinctive feelings about a candidate.

till then you are participating in a magic show not an election.

And I am pretty sure that is why I never jumped on the Dean bandwagon. When I choose a candidate, I pick the one I feel will do the best job running the country, has a lot of experience in and outside of Washington, has a voting record I agree with (over 50%), and has a good chance of winning over swing voters/disenchanted Republicans. Which may explain why I've been pulling for Kerry since the beginning - he is someone I would feel comfortable entrusting my safety and well-being in. He may not be the most likable guy, and in fact, he might come off as a total asshole, but he can run the country better than Bush, and that means more to me than his personality.

My brain and my base emotions have reconciled thier differences. After this reconciliation, they found that there is both a humanitarian side and a logical side to many of my beliefs.

I won't vote Kerry in November due to my head or my heart, I'll vote Kerry because our goddamned political system is so fucked up. My head and my heart hates him.

Really, I think those little nagging doubts, intuition, instincts, they are usualy described as coming from the heart but I think they are the result of rational thinking at it's finest. Your intuition is your brain telling you "You keep making me recount all the statistics, stop for a minute and have me figure out why this candidate still doesn't feel right."

This ain't rocket science...

that's not always possible. The candidate who sparks both the intellect and passion is a rare breed.

There's also another factor in play now when voting -- the consequences of allowing a criminal element (read: GOP) to continue its sacking of the globe and fleecing of American citizens.

Never did so much turn on an election as the one coming this November.

sometimes my heart in the primary. I was for Clark but he dropped out before the primary in CA so with Kerry and Kucinich left I voted my heart and voted Kucinich. If I had voted head it would have been Kerry who I will difinietly be voting for in Novemember

A leader must have a the clearest vision of the world as possible, hearing and synthesis capabilities for deciding and policy proposals in agreement with my own.

He/she can be a lover-machine, a cleric-eater or anything else, I want him/her to be smart and efficient. If my heart is beating for him/her that's better but not necessary

why would I make a desicion based on pumping blood?

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

I liked Udall, Tsongas, Hart, Bradley, Clark

But, these guys didn't have enough "charisma"

Damn TV.....

I can't wait til this country has ranked voting! I am sick of this crap.

but will vote for Kerry in the general election :shrug:

I do not need any further data to support my intent. The beast must be driven from the city walls.

With one dominating, depending on the specific race.

. . instead of emotions when making decisions. All our decisions are made emotionally. A more logical person simply gives more emotional weight to the results of their logical calculations. We must will our logical processors to come up with results - and we must want, emotionally, to follow those results.

Even people who are generally logical, will choose, based on emotions, when to use their logical calculator and what inputs to consider. Hence, you can have the occasional highly educated scientist who professes a belief in God or the supernatural.

In other words, we are all driven by our emotions - although some of us tend to bring logic into our internal debates more often and give the results more emotional weight when we do.

In politics, it's pretty easy to see which side that is.

I have a pretty low opinion of politicians in general, starting with my local city government right on up to the White House. Talk is cheap, especially in politics - I always look at what they've done, not what they say they're going to do. It's the major reason I supported Kerry over Dean. Electability is also a big factor - the 2000 election wiped the scales of idealism from my eyes. Politics is trench warfare.

My reasons for supporting Salazar over Miles are pretty much the same as yours.

I love them, admire their records of accomplishment, and trust them both EQUALLY.