For all of the twenty-eight years, eleven months and two days I’ve been alive, I’ve been a Republican. In every election I was eligible to vote in, I’ve voted Republican. Every single one.

Loyalty is important to me. I’m loyal to my husband, family, friends and employer. I’ve been loyal to the Republican party thus far. But has the GOP really been loyal to me? Not really. Is it realistic to think they should be? I’m not sure….

Today, I voted for Barack Obama in the Wisconsin Primary. It was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make, politically speaking.

For several long months I’ve weighed my options, I’ve absorbed the headlines and the polls and tried my best to give every candidate a fair shake. To say that my political views have evolved would be an understatement. The way I see this country today has changed completely since the last time I voted for a presidential candidate.

I could say that it’s because of the opportunities I’ve had to research politics. Writing about politics for the last year at BlogHer has definitely opened my eyes to other ideas and opinions. But this isn’t the only reason I’ve changed my voting direction.

I think I’ve learned that it’s okay to be objective, it doesn’t make you weak. Not knowing who would get my vote was the best thing to happen to this Republican because it forced me to really delve into the issues and get a good grasp on which candidate stood where.

In years past, I voted strictly based on one issue: abortion. As a Catholic, there was no way to compromise my morals. I could never bring myself to vote for a candidate that supported abortion. I wasn’t willing to budge. I don’t believe my choice was wrong, but I’m also distraught about some of the things that George W. Bush has done in his eight year tenure as President of the United States.

Perhaps I’ve matured in eight years. I’m a wife, a mother, a full-time employee. I worry about health care, education, the environment and terrorism. I get upset with each school shooting that I read about in the news. I get angry every time I open the newspaper and see another violent act against women and children. I’m fed up.

I’m tired of politics-as-usual, and I desperately want a new face in the white house. I want someone who can give this country, and our government, the kick in the behind it so desperately needs. I looked at the men and woman running for president and struggled to determine who that someone would be.

When it comes down to it, Barack Obama is the man for the job — as of right now.

I don’t know what will happen in November, but I feel comfortable with Obama. I like his plan for health care. I think he can be the Education President. I believe that he will be the man to get down to business and make the changes Americans are craving. He’s worked for the votes. He truly cares about me and my family; even though I’m not a Democrat, Obama has shown me there is room for me in his party.

I don’t feel that way about Hillary Clinton. Her arrogance is infuriating. She’d rather blame others for this country’s problems instead of admit she’s played a part in creating them — especially when it comes down to Iraq. It’s as if she thinks she deserves to win, without having to work for my vote. Several radio ads for Hillary kept placing blame on Bush for Iraq, but Hillary voted, too. I needed her to admit she made a mistake, but she couldn’t do it, and it bothers me.

Don’t get me wrong, I support the troops and the fight to end terrorism, but I think we’ve gone too far in the Middle East. This is also why I worry about John McCain as president. He’s prepared to station troops in Baghdad for several, maybe even a hundred, years.

Because I don’t believe that Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul (whom I was starting to like more and more) stand a chance against John McCain, I decided that my vote would have more weight in choosing the Democratic candidate.

Initially, I only wanted to vote for John McCain because of his stance on abortion. That was my bottom line.

On the contrary, I wanted to vote for Hillary Clinton simply because she’s the first viable female candidate and that alone is a big deal. But what does it say about me if I vote for a person based on one issue, as opposed to voting for another based on several?

You can understand my conundrum. I tossed and turned for five days before I made my decision. And it wasn’t easy. I thought for sure that after I made my choice at the polls, I would feel guilty. But I didn’t. I felt relieved.

I still have to figure out what to do about the issue of abortion. I’m hoping that Barack Obama will embrace my feelings and help us find a way to end the needless abortions committed every year. (I can understand desperate situations like rape, incest and protecting the health of the mother.) I believe that Barack will be the candidate to bridge the gap between left and right. I didn’t see that happening with Hillary Clinton. I dislike her “my way or the highway” attitude.

Ultimately, for me, it was about being comfortable with the choices, Democrat or Republican. Barack Obama made me feel comfortable, even hopeful. I think that says it all.