…And boy am I glad it’s here. Why? Well, as a citizen of the state of Missouri, I’ve been the target of IMMENSE advertising — TV, radio, mail, phonemail. The only media through which I wasn’t assaulted was e-mail and the presentation of a large, politically motivated fruit basket.

It’s been ugly here in the middle, folks. We have a pivotal Senate race. We have a politically charged amendment to raise taxes on tobacco products. And then there’s the stem cell amendment. Between those three votes alone, I believe more than $50M was spent in the Show-Me State to get a vote.

Daily, I’ve had 3-5 pieces of mail — many times from the same organization yelling at me about several bad points about the other side. I’ve also had 3-5 phonemails — same M.O. And a TV ad environment that makes the raciest of soap operas look like Captain Kangaroo.

And in ten minutes, the ads should stop.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe in the process, and I’m thrilled that we get to cast a vote. What drives me nuts is the season of hate that comes with it.