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This message is for those who might caucus for President Trump on Monday night. I beg you to consider a couple of thoughts before attending. I voted for the former President in 2016 and 2020. I thought he did a fantastic job, and I believe that there were substantial irregularities in the 2020 election. I feel strongly that the legal challenges he’s facing are politically motivated, and that those prosecuting him are a disgrace. If he is our nominee, I will certainly support him in the general election. Unfortunately, though, he is also the only Republican contender who could realistically lose to Joe Biden in November.

Although Trump is obviously in much better physical and cognitive health than Biden, the argument that Biden is too old and declining fast is somewhat blunted if our candidate is just a couple years younger. Also, Trump is probably the most susceptible candidate in history to election fraud, since he’s spent so much time and energy lodging that accusation previously (and not proving it to the satisfaction of those who could do something about it). Additionally, swing voting demographics like suburban women have clearly shifted away from Trump and Trump-supporting candidates in recent elections.

As endearing as Trump’s legal challenges are to his supporters, they are just as off-putting to those swing voters. That’s why pursuing those efforts is so attractive to the left; it’s a win-win-win. They get to attack the former president, which they always enjoy. Their attacks entrench his primary support, making him more likely to be the Republican nominee. And they turn off the swing voters who will be needed in the general election, nearly ensuring a Democrat win. So, think about whether you’re playing your role exactly as the left wants you to when you make your selection on Monday night.

Are you thinking that recent polls suggest that President Trump can still beat Biden, despite the disadvantages above? There are three problems with that. First, you didn’t trust the polls in 2016 or 2020, because you knew their primary function was to help elect Democrats. Your instinct was correct them, and the same is true today. They want you to believe that Trump is the inevitable Republican nominee, and that he will beat Biden, because a Trump nomination gives their candidates an advantage in the general election. Second, the Democrats are not going to run the only candidate on their side who could lose to Trump. They will swap Biden out, and we will spend the next four years with President Newsom, President Whitmer, or President Michelle Obama. Third, even if Trump were to win in the general election, it wouldn’t bring the red wave that would allow us to govern with a mandate for years to come. (Speaking of which, it would be nice to be able to run an incumbent in 2028.)

Ultimately though, the decision on whether you should support President Trump comes down to one simple question; “Would the Democrats rather run against Trump or someone like Desantis or Haley?” If you answer that question honestly and objectively, you’ll realize the Democrats want to run against Donald Trump. So please, vote with your brain rather than your heart….and vote based on what is likely to happen, rather than what you might wish would happen.

  • Marc Schwaab

3 COMMENTS

  1. No, the ultimate question is who will best execute the duties of the office of President (regardless of how few votes he garnered in the last election). I really feel degraded by the content of this “Letter to the Editor”!

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