We, the proud blue of the 10th District, have hit something I can only describe as an impasse. Patrick McHenry, assuming a stance (and height) that resembles that of Napoleon, has effectively paralyzed a district into his own will, blocking Democratic (and to some degree, GOP) attempts to regain control over his fiefdom. What's a district to do?

First off, let me explain what's going on before I launch off into my argument. Those of us in the 10th District have had the "enjoyable" experience of being represented in the House by Mr. Patrick McHenry, a career politician who came to this district only to be elected into Congress. He is the youngest Congressman in the House (thus termed "baby of the house"), and the biggest pain in the ass the House has ever had to deal with- Patrick McHenry is like Mikey from the old Life Cereal commercials, where the GOP throws incredibly stupid arguments his way because they know he will argue them on the basis of being a staunch conservative. Patrick McHenry does virtually anything to keep his office, and has been called on it numerous times (including being quite humorously being voted "Worst Person in the World" by Keith Olbermann), including various hiring scandals and other issues I won't go into.

Long story short? We 10th District Democrats hate him. The 10th District Republicans hate him too, but are afraid of him to the point where only a select few are willing to challenge him in their primaries. And we, the 10th District Democrats, have a candidate, Daniel Johnson, coming into the ring swinging.

What should we do?

First of all, let's be honest here and shelve our pride. If Patrick McHenry runs this election unchecked (or if it ends up being a direct battle of Patrick McHenry and his cronies versus Daniel Johnson, Johnson will lose. There is no question.

Why? Because McHenry fights like the kid on the playground back in the day. He throws dirt in your face, kicks you in the shins, and does everything in his power to wrestle control of the playground and get himself on top of the jungle gym. Johnson needs support, and too many voters like incumbents with money to let him slide by on normal tactics.

I hate to say this, but this turns into a form of the movie _Star Wars_, where I feel the Democrats are the rebels, the GOP is the gutless galactic council, and Patrick McHenry is a menacing Darth Vader minus the inevitable lesson at the end of the third movie.

So what should we do? We need to look at this from a war against Patrick McHenry, not a war against the Republicans. Let's face it, as much as we don't agree with them, most Republicans in the 10th District are good hardworking people like us, they just hold different opinions and values, and that's what makes the government good. I've spoken to my many Republican friends, and even THEY don't like McHenry- it's just letting them know what he's actually done beyond those slick mailers he sends out every so often to his "constituents".

So, let's keep that in mind. At least during these primaries, let's support the people who matter. Daniel Johnson is a good man and a good candidate, and he wants to change this district. And hell, even though the proud Democrat side of me doesn't want to say this, Lance Sigmon is a good man too. Both are trying to fix a problem that goes much beyond this bipartisanship we've seen in this district. It's a problem that's universal: A bad politician. We, as good citizens, need to support both of these men against McHenry- not because they are on any particular party, but because they are both trying to knock out someone who should not be in the position he is in. We can handle Johnson vs. Sigmon debates later. Right now? It's all about the man Drama Queen lovingly calls "McHorny".

Like I said in a previous blog entry, god forbid McHenry was a Democrat, though I imagine he'd be one if it would get him elected elsewhere. Let's just make sure that if he DOES get elected, it's not here, not now, and hopefully, not ever again.