--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an…" description: "\"Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small 'I' - Democrat, meaning that I'm a Mississippian first.\" — Mike Espy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg" --- # Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small… ![“Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small 'I' - Democrat, meaning that I'm a Mississippian first.” quote by Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg) > “Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small 'I' - Democrat, meaning that I'm a Mississippian first.” [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A Democrat can also prioritize state identity, showing political affiliation and regional loyalty can coexist. **In simple terms:** State loyalty can coexist with party affiliation. Key Takeaway Embrace both local and national identities. Themes politics identity state loyalty party affiliation Mood thoughtful balanced Type political personal When to use this quote - voting - policy advocacy - community engagement Key Concepts federalism regionalism political identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile state and national interests? - What challenges arise from dual political identities? A Different Perspective Balancing dual identities may cause conflicts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrat Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat-independent-2498405/) [Democrat Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat-meaning-5867275/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [Small Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-democrat-3957810/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [This is essential that we have a resurgence in democratic participation. And I don't mean big-D Democrat, I mean small-D democrat. I mean getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/this-is-essential-that-we-have-a-resurgence-in-democratic/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Not a Republican, he's not a Democrat, he's not an independent. Trump is Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/not-a-republican-he-s-not-a-democrat-he-s-not-an-independent-trump-is/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) > [I am a Democrat. But I am an independent Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ford-jr/i-am-a-democrat-but-i-am-an-independent-democrat/) [Harold Ford, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ford-jr/) > [I was not a Democrat; I was an independent. Here's the thing: You can't win that way. But I didn't know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyrsten-sinema/i-was-not-a-democrat-i-was-an-independent-here-s-the-thing-you-can-t/) [Kyrsten Sinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyrsten-sinema/) > [I'm not a Democrat, I'm an Independent, but I caucus with the Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-m-not-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-but-i-caucus-with-the-democrats/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I was raised a Democrat, and now I'm an Independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/powers-boothe/i-was-raised-a-democrat-and-now-i-m-an-independent/) [Powers Boothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/powers-boothe/) > [It's the No.1 issue with people I talk to, whether Republican, Democrat or independent. They want to see the way business is done in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-busby/it-s-the-no-1-issue-with-people-i-talk-to-whether-republican-democrat/) [Francine Busby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-busby/) > [When I was an Independent I believed the same things I believe now as a Democrat. I was an Independent because I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/when-i-was-an-independent-i-believed-the-same-things-i-believe-now-as/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [When you have a Senate that is 50 Democrats and 49 Republicans and one independent, it's quite obvious that the only way we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-breaux/when-you-have-a-senate-that-is-50-democrats-and-49-republicans-and/) [John Breaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-breaux/) > [If there's one thing I've learned in the last 18+ years of interacting with over 60,000 people during my vegan lecture tour, it's that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-yourofsky/if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-in-the-last-18-years-of-interacting/) [Gary Yourofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-yourofsky/) > [ We \[he and his wife Trish Van Devere\] don't talk politics. I'm an independent conservative; she's a radical Democrat. We never vote together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/we-he-and-his-wife-trish-van-devere-don-t-talk-politics-i-m-an/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [I can tell you this. It is not going to be evenly constituted and when she was Speaker Pelosi, she certainly showed no interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-can-tell-you-this-it-is-not-going-to-be-evenly-constituted-and-when/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) ## More by Mike Espy > [If you're going to get elected to anything in Mississippi, you have to pay attention to and court the black vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/if-you-re-going-to-get-elected-to-anything-in-mississippi-you-have-to/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [What better symbol of unity, what better symbol of growth, than to have Mike Espy in the United States Senate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/what-better-symbol-of-unity-what-better-symbol-of-growth-than-to-have/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I am an African American public official operating in an environment dominated by Caucasians. That is not too dissimilar from what I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-am-an-african-american-public-official-operating-in-an-environment/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I really don't need anyone to come to Mississippi to generate a vote for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-really-don-t-need-anyone-to-come-to-mississippi-to-generate-a-vote/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [There are some farmers who have been terribly discriminated against by the USDA. They've suffered tremendous losses and pain and anguish, and they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/there-are-some-farmers-who-have-been-terribly-discriminated-against/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [While we march in the streets making our voices heard, we must also march to the ballot box. That's where the real change happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/while-we-march-in-the-streets-making-our-voices-heard-we-must-also/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [We made mistakes in 2018, as a candidate and as a campaign. I had not campaigned in 25 years, and people forgot me, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/we-made-mistakes-in-2018-as-a-candidate-and-as-a-campaign-i-had-not/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I'm the proud father of three Black children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-m-the-proud-father-of-three-black-children/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [There's no way that I could be a congressman in a California district at 32.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/there-s-no-way-that-i-could-be-a-congressman-in-a-california-district/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [It's hard to pick yourself up and go vote for a candidate if you don't have any sense that that candidate could have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/it-s-hard-to-pick-yourself-up-and-go-vote-for-a-candidate-if-you-don/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [You've got to know what you need to correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/you-ve-got-to-know-what-you-need-to-correct/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I am dedicated to expanding Medicaid in Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-am-dedicated-to-expanding-medicaid-in-mississippi/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I'm a frustrated artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-m-a-frustrated-artist/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [The United States has taken pride in maintaining the 'safest food supply in the world.' And we can still have it, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/the-united-states-has-taken-pride-in-maintaining-the-safest-food/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I am a lifelong Mississippian. I remember Jim Crow, 'colored' and 'white' water fountains, and my mother's inability to try on a dress in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-am-a-lifelong-mississippian-i-remember-jim-crow-colored-and-white/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) [Explore all 98 Mike Espy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) ## More Democrat quotes > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [I can tell you this. It is not going to be evenly constituted and when she was Speaker Pelosi, she certainly showed no interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/i-can-tell-you-this-it-is-not-going-to-be-evenly-constituted-and-when/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [I can't see the Democrats working with Donald Trump on tax reform unless the rich get soaked. The thing about this that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-see-the-democrats-working-with-donald-trump-on-tax-reform/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“A Republican is a man who wants you to go t'church every Sunday. A Democrat says if a man wants to have a glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-abbott/a-republican-is-a-man-who-wants-you-to-go-t-church-every-sunday-a/) [Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-abbott/) > [The Democrats in particular are do-nothing guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-george-peterson/the-democrats-in-particular-are-do-nothing-guys/) [Peter George Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-george-peterson/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I will not be a Democrat or a Republican. They are the problem, not the solution. We need to abolish political parties in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-will-not-be-a-democrat-or-a-republican-they-are-the-problem-not-the/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I'm a growth-is-good Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gabrieli/i-m-a-growth-is-good-democrat/) [Chris Gabrieli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gabrieli/) > [The Democrats have been there for working people in our country. That's who we are, trickle-down vs. middle-class economics. That's the major difference between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/the-democrats-have-been-there-for-working-people-in-our-country-that/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Browse all 2,519 Democrat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small 'I' - Democrat, meaning that I'm a Mississippian first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Espy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-a-small-i-democrat/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democrat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-a-small-i-democrat/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/mike-espy-6672_democrat_even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-indepe_2375804.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm an independent - a small 'I' - Democrat, meaning that I'm a Mississippian…” — Mike Espy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mike Espy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even though I'm a Democrat, I'm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-a-small-i-democrat/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/even-though-i-m-a-democrat-i-m-an-independent-a-small-i-democrat/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```