With Jeb Bush’s abandonment of his presidential campaign and the surge of support for the Trump campaign, it appears that the Republican Party is in complete disarray when it comes to naming their party’s candidate. In the confusion, different senators throw their weight behind Cruz or Rubio in weak attempts to gain support for their chosen candidates and keep the GOP on its traditional ‘right’ path.
However, while the rest of his party hopes their chosen candidate magically pulls ahead, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) has laid down the gauntlet when it comes to Donald Trump’s running. In an open letter posted on his Facebook page, Sasse acknowledges the faults of the Republican Party and why the conservative voters appear to be drawn to Trump.
“The Trump coalition is broad and complicated, but I believe many Trump fans are well-meaning. I have spoken at length with many of you, both inside and outside Nebraska. You are rightly worried about our national direction. You ache about a crony-capitalist leadership class that is not urgent about tackling our crises. You are right to be angry.”
The Senator then goes on to acknowledge the fear that Trump is not going to play nice with his new-found powers if he’s elected president (though it would not be a shock to see a Republican president abuse their powers).
“The law is king, and the people are boss. But have you noticed how Mr. Trump uses the word “Reign” – like he thinks he’s running for King? It’s creepy, actually. Nebraskans are not looking for a king. We yearn instead for the recovery of a Constitutional Republic.”
And that Trump’s aggressive approach to the world is perhaps not the best way to handle situations.
“The president’s job is not about just mindlessly shouting the word ‘strong’ – as if Vladimir Putin, who has been strongly bombing civilian populations in Syria the last month, is somehow a model for the American presidency. No, the president’s core calling is to ‘Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution.’”
Sasse’s open letter is relatively long for a Facebook piece, but it shows that the GOP is not so consumed with getting their party into the White House that they’re more than willing to let Trump lead them. The senator does more than just throw his weight behind a candidate who is drifting further and further behind in the polls, he outright acknowledges that he would abandon party loyalty and vote for a third candidate.
“Given what we know about him today, here’s where I’m at: If Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee, my expectation is that I will look for some third candidate – a conservative option, a Constitutionalist.”
Were Sasse to start a movement within his party to vote for a third candidate, it would fracture the Republican votes and greatly assist in a Democratic victory for the White House.
You can read Sasse’s entire piece here on his Facebook page.
Featured Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr, available under a Creative Commons license.
