The Czar voted early this morning, but was waiting for polls to close before announcing anything, given how easily a word or two from him could unfairly sway an election. The process was easy, and not plagued by the reported issues of ballots not fitting into machines. It should be known that this is an improvement for Chicago; the problem was identified instantly, and voters were allowed to recast their votes on the correct size ballot immediately. In the past, of course, Chicago-area voters handing in Republican ballots had their ballots put into a shredder.

The local news seems to be making more of an issue about low voter turnout. For example, much was said about the voter turnout being at a low during a presidential election year; in fact, a record low. Surprise! Democrats are not voting for a presidential candidate this election; all it takes is for three Chicago Republicans to miss voting today for the turnout to be a record low. There are only about fifteen or so in total.

The Czar cast his first vote for Rick Santorum today—not because Rick Santorum has any real hope of winning by this point, but because every vote cast for Santorum is a knee to the groin to the Romney campaign. And Mitt Romney is getting tired of it.

The lesson the Czar wishes to teach on that is not about the presidential nomination, but for the Illinois senate. Follow along.

There were two Republican candidates for our Senator: incumbent Kirk Dillard and challenger Chris Nybo. Dillard has done a fantastic job for almost 20 years in Springfield, whereas Nybo is a feisty up-and-comer who picks a lot of fights about spending cuts.

The Czar voted for Nybo, even though Dillard slaughtered him as everyone expected. But Dillard, who always campaigned on making Illinois a better place to do business, and what we could do to improve education, and whatever the saccharine talking point of the moment was, had a different message in 2012. Dillard was all about pension reform, curtailing out-of-control public-sector unions, and slicing taxes. As Nybo put it recently, Dillard has been in office for 18 years and never once mentioned any of these things; now it’s all he talks about.

Whereas Dillard would have had no challenger in previous years, he now saw this feisty upstart finance reformer grab 33% of the vote. Dillard proved he is listening, and is going to be a much meaner senator going forward.

And by extension, every vote for Rick Santorum makes Mitt Romney that much more determined to win those conservative votes back. The numbers show it’s happening: Romney now knows pretty well what real-life Republicans want him to focus on.

The Czar knowingly cast two votes for eventual losers today, because it is in the Primaries you send the message. In the Fall, you fire the shot.

Whereas it is possible the Mandarin voted for the guy who wears the boot on his head.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.