All the Republicans Who Have Decided Not to Support Trump
 

All the Republicans Who Have Decided Not to Support Trump

Numerous top G.O.P. officials have said publicly or privately that they will not be backing the president’s re-election. Here’s a look at where they stand.

By Isabella Grullón Paz and Jonathan Martin

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Senator Mitt Romney, who has long been critical of President Trump, will not vote for him, according to people familiar with his thinking. Credit...Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times

As November draws nearer, a few current and former Republican officials have begun to break ranks with the rest of their party, saying in public and private conversations that they will not support President Trump in his re-election. Some have even said that they will be voting for his Democratic opponent, Joseph R. Biden Jr.

As Mr. Trump’s political standing has slipped, fueled by his failures in handling the coronavirus pandemic and by the economic recession, some Republicans have found it easier to publicly renounce their backing.

Here is a running list of those who have said they will not support Mr. Trump in the fall, those who have gone a step further and said they’ll vote for Mr. Biden, and those who have hinted they may not back the president.

Will not support Trump’s re-election

Former President George W. Bush: Although he has not spoken about whom he will vote for in November, people familiar with Mr. Bush’s thinking have said it won’t be Mr. Trump. Mr. Bush did not endorse him in 2016.

Senator Mitt Romney of Utah: Mr. Romney has long been critical of Mr. Trump, and was the only Republican senator to vote to convict him during his impeachment trial. Mr. Romney is still mulling over whom he will vote for in November — he opted for his wife, Ann, four years ago — but he is said to be sure it won’t be the president.

John Bolton, the former national security adviser: As he rolled out his recently published book, “The Room Where It Happened,” Mr. Bolton said in multiple interviews that he would not vote for Mr. Trump in November. He added that he would write in the name of a conservative Republican, but that he was not sure which one.

Jeff Flake, the former senator from Arizona: Mr. Flake said in an interview with The Washington Post: “This won’t be the first time I’ve voted for a Democrat — though not for president.” He added: “Last time I voted for a third-party candidate. But I will not vote for Donald Trump.”

Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont: Mr. Scott has said multiple times this summer that he will not be voting for the president, a position that he also took in 2016. He says he has not yet decided whether or not he will vote for Mr. Biden.

William H. McRaven, a retired four-star Navy admiral: Several Republican admirals and generals have publicly announced they will not support the president. In an interview with The New York Times, Admiral McRaven, who directed the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, said, “This fall, it’s time for new leadership in this country — Republican, Democrat or independent.”

He added, “President Trump has shown he doesn’t have the qualities necessary to be a good commander in chief.”

Cindy McCain, the widow of Senator John McCain: During the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Ms. McCain appeared in a video and recounted her husband’s relationship with Mr. Biden. Although she did not endorse Mr. Biden in the video, Ms. McCain has expressed frustration with the direction of the Republican Party under Mr. Trump, whose attacks on Mr. McCain continued after the senator’s death.

Planning to vote for Biden, or say they are leaning that way

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Former Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, a Republican, was given a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention to make the case for Joseph R. Biden Jr. Credit...Scott Olson/Getty Images

John Kasich, the former governor of Ohio: After competing against Mr. Trump in the 2016 Republican primary, Mr. Kasich has never really thrown his support behind the president. But this week, he will be speaking at the Democratic National Convention and making the case for Mr. Biden.

“I’ve known Joe,” Mr. Kasich said on CNN recently. “I’ve known him for 30 years. I know the kind of guy he is.”

Colin Powell, the former secretary of state: Mr. Powell announced in June that he would vote for Mr. Biden. He said that Mr. Trump “lies about things” and that Republicans in Congress would not hold him accountable. Mr. Powell added that he was close to Mr. Biden politically and socially and had worked with him for more than 35 years. On Tuesday night, he gave a message of support to Mr. Biden at the Democratic convention.

Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security: Mr. Taylor endorsed Mr. Biden, saying that the president was “actively doing damage to our security” and that what he had witnessed Mr. Trump do as chief executive “was terrifying.” Mr. Taylor is the most senior former member of the administration to openly endorse Mr. Biden.

Christine Whitman, a former governor of New Jersey: Ms. Whitman was one of the few Republicans speaking at the Democratic National Convention. In October, Ms. Whitman told the television host Larry King that she would vote for Mr. Biden if he were the nominee, calling him the Democrats’ “best chance at winning in 2020.”

Meg Whitman, the chief executive of Quibi: A former senior official for both of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaigns and a former Republican candidate for governor of California, Ms. Whitman (no relation to Christine Whitman) also spoke at the Democratic Convention. She supported Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Susan Molinari, a former congresswoman from New York: Ms. Molinari spoke at the convention, as well. A former lobbyist for Google, she was on the Trump administration’s transition contributor list, but now appears to be supporting Mr. Biden.

Carly Fiorina, a 2016 presidential candidate: Ms. Fiorina has said she will support Mr. Biden because he is “a person of humility and empathy and character.”

Representative Francis Rooney of Florida: Mr. Rooney has said he was considering supporting Mr. Biden partly because Mr. Trump was “driving us all crazy” and because the president’s handling of the coronavirus led to a death toll that “didn’t have to happen.” Mr. Rooney’s hesitation about Mr. Biden was his worry that left-wing Democrats might pull the former vice president away from the moderate political mainstream. But he does think Mr. Biden can win.

“A lot of people that voted for President Trump did so because they did not like Hillary Clinton,” Mr. Rooney said. “I don’t see that happening with Joe Biden — how can you not like Joe Biden?”

Charlie Dent, a former congressman from Pennsylvania: Mr. Dent endorsed Mr. Biden on CNN, saying “this isn’t about right or left — for me, it’s about right and wrong.”

More than 70 top Republican national security officials: Hours before Mr. Biden accepted the Democratic nomination, the officials released a letter stating that they would be voting for Mr. Biden in November and that Mr. Trump was “unfit to lead.” Among the signatories were former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; Michael Hayden, the former C.I.A. and N.S.A. director; John Negroponte, the former director of national intelligence; and William Webster, the former director of the C.I.A. and the F.B.I.

Have expressed reluctance or misgivings, but haven’t openly dropped their backing

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Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has said that she’s grappling with whether to support Mr. Trump in November.Credit...Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times

Paul Ryan and John Boehner, the former speakers of the House: Both have expressed their dislike of the president, but have not said whom they will support in November.

John Kelly, a former chief of staff to the president: Mr. Kelly has not said whom he plans to vote for, but did say he wished “we had some additional choices.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska: She has said that she’s grappling with whether to support Mr. Trump in November. She told reporters on Capitol Hill in June: “I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time.”

She said: “I think right now, as we are all struggling to find ways to express the words that need to be expressed appropriately, questions about who I’m going to vote for or not going to vote for, I think, are distracting at the moment. I know people might think that’s a dodge, but I think there are important conversations that we need to have as an American people among ourselves about where we are right now.”

Mark Sanford, a former congressman and governor of South Carolina: Mr. Sanford briefly challenged the president in this cycle’s Republican primary, and said last year that he would support Mr. Trump if the president won the nomination (which was never in doubt).

That has since changed.

“He’s treading on very thin ice,” Mr. Sanford said in June, worrying that the president is threatening the stability of the country.

Dan Coats, a former senator from Indiana: Mr. Coats, who used to be Mr. Trump’s director of intelligence, is worried about the administration’s effects on the intelligence community. He hasn’t said whom he will support. Kevin Kellems, a longtime adviser to Mr. Coats, said that “ultimately he remains a loyal Republican, but he believes the American people will decide on Nov. 3.”

Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/repu...gtype=Homepage

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Thank you for posting that Orema. Somehow I'd missed that article.

I can't help but notice Susan Collins name doesn't appear in any of the categories which leads me to believe she has her nose shoved up Trump's behind as usual!

As of 08/11/20 03:50 PM EDT.....
 

Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) trails her Democratic challenger — state Rep. Sara Gideon — by 8 points in the latest poll from the Bangor Daily News.

Collins is one of a handful of GOP senators whose race has been labeled a "toss up" by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

In the poll, when asked who was their first choice in November's Senate election, 43 percent of respondents said Gideon, while 35 percent said Collins. Gideon's lead was greater among the registered voters surveyed.

Collins, who has served as one of Maine's senators since 1997, has seen her positivity ratings plummet, most notably among Democrats and independents.

Sixty percent of independents polled said their opinion of Collins had negatively shifted in the past four years, and 80 percent of Democrats said the same. She even struggled within her own party, as 34 percent of Republicans polled said they view Collins more negatively than they did four years ago; 31 percent said they view Collins more positively now than they did four years ago, the start of President Trump's presidency.

Jacob Blake, 29, unarmed, shot in the back 7 times by police while his 3 young sons were in the car. WTF!



https://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...xsu-story.html

I apologize for this. I thought I was posting in the breaking news thread. Now it's too late to move it. It makes no sense here but I can't do anything about it. I am sorry.

Gun culture, and people of color being killed every day in America by gun toting haters is more than a worthy subject of discussion. I personally think Biden and Harris should actually cover this issue.

Excellent point.

on the front page on Yahoo there's a picture of Trump w/ his mouth open telling lies ~ well I wish I could just grab a water gun and "Shoot The Clown In The Mouth " lol ~ I would bust that orange balloon head ~

If I'm not mistaken this shooting took place in Kenosha Wisconsin. Jesus what are these cops thinking!

Wow talk about a shit show lie fest. Yes, I watched the first night of the Republican convention - I don't blame anyone who didn't.

Years ago - I believe it was during George Bush Sr - I committed myself to watching at least one night of the Republican Convention and reading their platform each election and have done it since Bush Sr. I do this to remind myself just how horrible the Republican party is and what they stand for. Trump may have taken things to a whole new level, but as far as I am concerned it has been a truly horrible party since at least Nixon.

Well, I don't even have to bother to read the platform because the committee voted not to have a new platform and just pledge allegiance to Trump. Unbelievable.

I thought it was going to be amateur hour since they kept changing everything until the last minue and with Trump micromanaging everything, but on that front it was okay. However, it was mainly speeches from a podium (taped but made to look live) from a federal building - which they shouldn't be doing.

The lying was off the charts. You would think Trump was this very kind, caring man who has saved us all from COVID-19 and Biden and all Democrats are evil socialists who are destoying, rioting and looting - and wll make it even worse if Biden is elected.

You would also think the Republican party is quite diverse made up of lots of black people, latinos, asians, etc.

The whole thing was bizarre and from another planet. They lied about everythig - from small things to major things.

Just an utter shit show. I don't plan to watch anymore of it.

This line of yours Bulldog? Isn't that the scariest of all? Hitler-esque, if you ask me.

I am sure the whole world is 'watching' and if American's let the toddler in the WH get away with this, then there will never be a way to recover (imo).

Thanks for keeping us posted. I appreciate it, a lot.

The Republican Convention

Fear-mongering, demagoguery, nightmare scenarios, loathing...all that was missing was Jew-baiting and you'd have a Nuremberg Rally ... but that might come tonight.

How despicable!

ok THAT'S who Sara Gideon is. I keep seeing her name on one of my recurring donations and thinking "i am sure i set that up for a good reason, but"

:superfunny:

Mr. Jenny turned it off because i kept yelling at the screen.

The lying and gaslighting was bad enough, but what i could not stomach was the way in which SOMEHOW, every sentence uttered by every single speaker had a racist dog whistle in it!

Like they must have had a specialist working on it. Just stunning

Seems Melania has the toughest Convention job of all: trying to humanize Donald Trump.

BTW Trump has had one major success. He's managed to make the phrase "FDA Approved", suspect.

Yes, it was awful. What about the racist white trash McCloskeys? OMG. Unreal. "What happened to us could happen to any of you" - yeah if you brandish a gun at people you can be charged with a crime. According to Claire McCaskill they sue everyone and once destroyed bee hives that were near their property line that a Jewish synagogue had to grow honey for Rosh Hashanah. The children wept when they heard.

Don Jr. & his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle both were seriously deranged and looked drugged out. I hear cocaine was trending on Twitter.

The most mind-boggling of the lies to me was Trump's coronavirus. In their alternate universe Trump took decisive action and provided the much needed supplies. What???? Who can believe this gas lighting.

I don't think most people are worried about cities being overrun by mobs or that Joe Biden and the Democrats are going to demolish the suburbs. That seems to be the only argument they have against Biden so far at the convention.

I don't see how this could appeal to anyone other than those who were already planning to vote for Trump. I sure hope I'm right.

Speaking of Gas Lighting, Iran's government issued an warrant for TP's arrest.

Iran is not fooled by what the GOP/TP admin have done to an Obama era treaty between the US & Iran.

Iran issued the warrant for TP's arrest is in conjunction with the help of Interpol agency.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/i...-help-n1232381

Did you catch Trymaine Lee on MSNBC last night? He explained that "suburbs" is a dogwhistle for white people. The "mobs" are the same people that sent them to the suburbs in their White Flight.

Strange thing, where I live the inner cities are where "white" people live. No one else can afford to live there. Everyone else lives in the "suburbs".

Yeah there is a lot of gentrification that has happened in US cities too. Suburbs are definitely not all white. Some people of color live there by choice and others had to move when it got too expensive to live in the city - along with many white people.

When the McCloskeys talked about "if it can happen to us it can happen to anyone" I do believe they were talking about white neighborhoods being "invaded." Pure racism.

Trump is also trying to appeal to white suburban women since they are a significant voting block but I don't think his tactics are very effective.

Is "cancel culture" a widely-known phrase? Do they use it on FOX? Just wondering since I only vaguely know what it means and they used it over and over again last night.