Local Republican Holding Out for Larger Vote Payment This Midterms, Swears He’ll Vote Blue Unless He Gets $10K in Unmarked $20s
MUKILTEO, WA — Local Republican voter Gary Wexler confirmed Monday that he remains undecided ahead of the midterm elections, saying neither party has yet made a sufficiently competitive financial offer for his support.
“I’ve voted Republican my entire adult life, but loyalty only goes so far,” Wexler said from his kitchen table, where he had arranged several envelopes, campaign mailers and what appeared to be approximately $6,400 in cash. “Ten thousand. Unmarked twenties. Then we can talk.”
Wexler said he initially entered negotiations seeking $7,500 but raised his price after reviewing recent inflation data and determining that “Democrats seem pretty desperate.”
“They keep talking about protecting democracy,” he said. “Well, democracy isn’t free.”
According to Wexler, representatives of neither political party have actually contacted him, offered him money, or shown any awareness that negotiations are underway.
That has not deterred him.
“I know how these things work,” Wexler said. “You don’t take the first offer. Right now Republicans know they’ve got me. Democrats know Republicans think they’ve got me. That gives me leverage.”
Wexler said he would also consider a combination of $8,000 cash, two Seahawks club-level tickets and “something reasonable on property taxes.”
Asked whether selling his vote might undermine his frequent criticism of political corruption, Wexler rejected the comparison.
“That’s completely different,” he said. “Corruption is when politicians take money to do something you don’t like.”
Wexler’s wife, Carol, said her husband has spent much of the past three weeks waiting for representatives from either campaign to approach the house.
“He keeps looking through the blinds every time a car slows down,” she said. “Yesterday it was Amazon.”
Wexler said he remains prepared to cross party lines if Republicans fail to meet his demands.
“I’m serious,” he said, tapping the stack of campaign literature. “Ten grand by Election Day or I’m voting straight Democrat.”
He paused.
“Unless Republicans come back at twelve.”
