Bruce Guthrie on Principles & Values

Voters were disgusted in 2004 and 60% did not vote

CANTWELL: I voted for John Kerry. He matched our Northwest values. He won Washington state because he understood our values and would fight for them.

McGAVICK: I voted for George Bush because he understood that the single most important issue facing America was the war to defeat radical Islamic terrorism. I also thought it was more likely, given Bush's record, that he would do more to reduce the debt than John Kerry.

GUTHRIE: The American people could see that the choices we had were terrible. Only 40% of registered voters voted-60% were not served, and were disgusted with the Democrats & Republicans. I voted for change. I voted for Michael Badnarik, who represented a new sensible center in politics, without the extremes of the Democrats & Republicans. My vote represented the values of America; we're socially tolerant yet fiscally responsible. My vote counted because I didn't fall into the trap of voting for the lesser of two evils.

Lends campaign $1.2 million

Guthrie explains that his decision to make the loan came after months on the campaign trail. "I'm disappointed, as most people are, that money is what drives politics in this country," he said. "But I realize if I didn't go in all the way, if I didn't do the best job with the campaign I thought I could do, I would have regretted it later.

"My heart is really in this race, and I decided it was just time to put my money where my heart is."

Guthrie raised the money by mortgaging his home and using his life savings. "It is absolutely everything I could scrape together," he said. "I mortgaged my house, my only house, in Bellingham. And I put up all the savings that my former wife and I were able to save in our 17 years of marriage."