Friends, first, a little about me: I was born and raised here, served in the military, saw combat in Afghanistan, and returned home after retiring from the Joint Staff.  I voted first mainly for Republicans and finally as a staunchly independent voter. I looked for candidates based on these criteria: wisdom, knowledge and experience, compassion, charisma and positivity, and, above all, integrity, which is the military's first Core Value. I voted first mainly for Republicans and finally as a staunchly independent voter. I looked for candidates based on these criteria: wisdom, knowledge and experience, compassion, charisma and positivity, and, above all, integrity, which is the military's first Core Value. I know it's hard to find a candidate who embodies them all, but he does. I first met him at a town hall meeting back in 2020. I critiqued everything he said, found the chance to speak with him afterward, and, over time, realized that he had met all of the above.