BBJ, I realize that November is still a long way off but right now I feel the same way about Trump as this Ohioan (see below). And if this is the case in November, I know I will need to apologize to Lynn for saying all the things I said about him after the 2012 election. I have always voted on election day and hope I will not be forced to sit out this election but should the people be stupid enough to nominate Trump I just don't see how I could in good faith vote for him. For the last several weeks, I have been very active on Facebook telling potential Trump supporters how I feel about The Donald and why he should not become the Republican nominee. But because Trump followers believe he is infallible and can do no wrong, this cult-like following is hellbent on voting for someone who cannot possibly win the general election. Perhaps some of them will wise up and see Trump for what he is but unfortunately most of them will not. All I can say is at least they've been warned.
Jay Smith
East Liverpool, OH
I’ve noticed a trend with Trump supporters lately. They’ve taken to asking those of us Republicans who do not support Trump (which is a healthy majority of Republicans) some version of this question: “If Trump becomes the nominee, will you vote for him in November?” If you dare to say “no” they immediately launch into their script about how it’s people like you who will be responsible for getting Hillary elected. Well, let’s get a few things straight...
I’m from the swingingest of swing states-- Ohio, so listen to me and listen carefully.
Donald Trump has the highest unfavorable ratings (meaning the number of people who DO NOT LIKE HIM) of any presidential candidate, from either party, since 1992, which coincidentally was the first presidential election I was old enough to vote in. This means a greater percentage the American voters viewed the following candidates more favorably than Trump: George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. All of these were/are viewed more favorably than Trump. What’s more, Trump consistently garners only 30%-35% of Republican support. And of those not supporting Trump, less than 10% say they would even consider him as a second choice. That means between 60% to 70% of Republicans clearly, decisively don’t want Trump as the nominee. And yet, because the non-Trump vote is split in so many different ways, Trump could very well ride his meager 35% all the way to the nomination. While his support is intense and passionate, it isn’t nearly broad enough to mount a serious challenge to Hillary (or whomever is on the democrat ticket).
So to those Trump supporters who say that they will ONLY vote for Trump and would never consider voting for anyone else to be the nominee, I say the following:
If Trump is the nominee, and my conscience won’t allow me to vote for him in November, don’t you DARE blame me if he loses. You are the ones insisting on putting forward a nominee who is disliked by over 60% of the American people and who cannot get more than 4 out of 10 Republicans to support him. You are the ones forcing on us a candidate who routinely uses some of the nastiest, most offensive, four-letter laced rhetoric ever uttered in a presidential campaign. You are the ones insisting on taking such huge gamble with the future of our country. Therefore, the blame for a loss in November will rest squarely on YOUR shoulders.
Ever since I cast my first presidential vote in 1992, I have consistently voted for the Republican candidate (and I’ve never sat out an election). However, I’ve never had the pleasure of actually voting for a candidate in a general election whom I supported in the primary. So I’m quite used to not getting my way, and I’ve always been the dutiful Republican voter, holding my nose in the polling booth, and hoping for a real conservative candidate next time around. No matter how flawed the candidate is who has been forced on me, I’ve always done my best to try to help drag the hapless guy across the finish line. I’ve always been able to find something, how ever small, to like about the candidate. (Dole was a war hero. Bush was a heck of a lot better than Gore. McCain was pretty consistently pro-life. Romney was an honorable guy.) However, I can find nothing in Trump that is not thoroughly repugnant to me as a constitutionalist conservative (or as just a human being, for that matter). Holding my nose won’t cut it with Trump. I would have to hold my nose, plus wear ear muffs, a blindfold, rubber gloves and a hazmat suit. In short, I would have to pretend not to see what I plainly see in the man. This is precisely what I criticized sycophantic Obama supporters for, and I will not make myself a hypocrite or compromise my self-respect for Trump.
You have no right to put a dog poop sandwich on my plate and then blame me when I tell you I can’t eat it! Thankfully, Trump isn’t the candidate yet, and there is still time to put someone else on the ballot. All I ask is that you give me someone--anyone--other than Trump. If you tell me that you can’t vote for anyone else but Trump because all the others are “corrupt politicians” (and what about Dr. Carson?) and that voting for a “politician” would violate your sacred principles, well, I would say that I have principles too, and I could list a hundred different ways Trump violates my principles, without even having to stop to think about it.
We are currently left with 5 candidates other than Trump, all of whom poll better against Hillary than Trump does. So if you really care so much about beating Hillary in November, then logic would dictate that you look past Mr. Trump and seriously consider supporting one of the other candidates in the race. If you are not willing to do this, then please spare me the lecture on how it is I who might cost the Republicans the election if I stay home in November! If you cannot find one of the other 5 candidates to be an acceptable alternative to Trump then you have no right to say that I’m too picky or stubborn.
No. I will not vote for Trump, because I know who he is, and more importantly, because I know who I am. So put someone else on my ballot if you want this Ohioan’s vote in November.
You’ve been warned.
Jay Smith
East Liverpool, OH
I’ve noticed a trend with Trump supporters lately. They’ve taken to asking those of us Republicans who do not support Trump (which is a healthy majority of Republicans) some version of this question: “If Trump becomes the nominee, will you vote for him in November?” If you dare to say “no” they immediately launch into their script about how it’s people like you who will be responsible for getting Hillary elected. Well, let’s get a few things straight...
I’m from the swingingest of swing states-- Ohio, so listen to me and listen carefully.
Donald Trump has the highest unfavorable ratings (meaning the number of people who DO NOT LIKE HIM) of any presidential candidate, from either party, since 1992, which coincidentally was the first presidential election I was old enough to vote in. This means a greater percentage the American voters viewed the following candidates more favorably than Trump: George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. All of these were/are viewed more favorably than Trump. What’s more, Trump consistently garners only 30%-35% of Republican support. And of those not supporting Trump, less than 10% say they would even consider him as a second choice. That means between 60% to 70% of Republicans clearly, decisively don’t want Trump as the nominee. And yet, because the non-Trump vote is split in so many different ways, Trump could very well ride his meager 35% all the way to the nomination. While his support is intense and passionate, it isn’t nearly broad enough to mount a serious challenge to Hillary (or whomever is on the democrat ticket).
So to those Trump supporters who say that they will ONLY vote for Trump and would never consider voting for anyone else to be the nominee, I say the following:
If Trump is the nominee, and my conscience won’t allow me to vote for him in November, don’t you DARE blame me if he loses. You are the ones insisting on putting forward a nominee who is disliked by over 60% of the American people and who cannot get more than 4 out of 10 Republicans to support him. You are the ones forcing on us a candidate who routinely uses some of the nastiest, most offensive, four-letter laced rhetoric ever uttered in a presidential campaign. You are the ones insisting on taking such huge gamble with the future of our country. Therefore, the blame for a loss in November will rest squarely on YOUR shoulders.
Ever since I cast my first presidential vote in 1992, I have consistently voted for the Republican candidate (and I’ve never sat out an election). However, I’ve never had the pleasure of actually voting for a candidate in a general election whom I supported in the primary. So I’m quite used to not getting my way, and I’ve always been the dutiful Republican voter, holding my nose in the polling booth, and hoping for a real conservative candidate next time around. No matter how flawed the candidate is who has been forced on me, I’ve always done my best to try to help drag the hapless guy across the finish line. I’ve always been able to find something, how ever small, to like about the candidate. (Dole was a war hero. Bush was a heck of a lot better than Gore. McCain was pretty consistently pro-life. Romney was an honorable guy.) However, I can find nothing in Trump that is not thoroughly repugnant to me as a constitutionalist conservative (or as just a human being, for that matter). Holding my nose won’t cut it with Trump. I would have to hold my nose, plus wear ear muffs, a blindfold, rubber gloves and a hazmat suit. In short, I would have to pretend not to see what I plainly see in the man. This is precisely what I criticized sycophantic Obama supporters for, and I will not make myself a hypocrite or compromise my self-respect for Trump.
You have no right to put a dog poop sandwich on my plate and then blame me when I tell you I can’t eat it! Thankfully, Trump isn’t the candidate yet, and there is still time to put someone else on the ballot. All I ask is that you give me someone--anyone--other than Trump. If you tell me that you can’t vote for anyone else but Trump because all the others are “corrupt politicians” (and what about Dr. Carson?) and that voting for a “politician” would violate your sacred principles, well, I would say that I have principles too, and I could list a hundred different ways Trump violates my principles, without even having to stop to think about it.
We are currently left with 5 candidates other than Trump, all of whom poll better against Hillary than Trump does. So if you really care so much about beating Hillary in November, then logic would dictate that you look past Mr. Trump and seriously consider supporting one of the other candidates in the race. If you are not willing to do this, then please spare me the lecture on how it is I who might cost the Republicans the election if I stay home in November! If you cannot find one of the other 5 candidates to be an acceptable alternative to Trump then you have no right to say that I’m too picky or stubborn.
No. I will not vote for Trump, because I know who he is, and more importantly, because I know who I am. So put someone else on my ballot if you want this Ohioan’s vote in November.
You’ve been warned.
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