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Oct 30, 20204 min read

What Republicans are not voting for Trump this election and why?

By: Lakshmi Sunder


In recent years, Americans on both sides of the aisle have complained about political polarization. We often see both politicians and citizens making decisions based on their party alignment rather than on their personal beliefs. However, in this election cycle, we are witnessing a movement that is at least temporarily attempting to overcome this issue - with groups such as Republican Voters Against Trump (RVAT) and the actions of certain Republican politicians and their followers. RVAT consists of American citizens who identify as conservative, but for both personal and ethical reasons cannot vote for Trump - despite having voted for him in the last election. Furthermore, many Republican lawmakers and politicians have expressed their dislike of Trump as a candidate, and some have even explicitly expressed their support for Biden.


Which demographics are turning on Trump?


Just 38% of suburbanites approve of President Trump’s performance, while 59% disapprove of it. They do not like the way he has handled race and the recent Black Lives Matter protests, seeing as 65% are in support of the movement.


Elderly voters are also less in support of Trump than they used to be, their reasons rooted in his handling of Covid-19. Their lives were more directly at risk and they had to stay isolated from their family members to stay safe. In fact, an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that Biden had a 27 point lead over Trump in voters that are 65 years or older.


Republicans in general feel as though Trump has prioritized the economy over safety during the pandemic, and it has deterred them from voting for him. Some don’t like the rhetoric Trump used in regards to the protests against racial injustice. Still, others don’t like the economy under his term and don’t like that he has not kept to the promises he made during the first election.


Many senators have actively advocated against Trump as he falls behind in the polls, pulling down Republican Senate candidates with him. Forecasts by major political predictors show that Democrats have a slight chance of taking control of the Senate. This, coupled with internal tracking done by the Republican Party of the Senate after the first presidential debate, has led many conservative politicians to separate themselves from Trump. Some do it quietly, their dislike hinted at in speeches or when asked questions, while others are actively advocating against Trump and for Biden.


What Republican politicians are turning on Trump?


Many senators have actively advocated against Trump as he falls behind in the polls, pulling down Republican Senate candidates with him. Anonymously, a GOP senator requested to speak on the likelihood of Republicans losing the senate majority, referencing Trump as a possible cause of this loss. Furthermore, Senator Ted Cruz said Trump could win the election by a “big margin”. But he also said that Republican candidates could get dragged down in a “bloodbath”.


Forecasts by major political predictors show that Democrats have a slight chance of taking control of the Senate. This, coupled with internal tracking done by the Republican Party of the Senate after the first presidential debate, has led many conservative politicians to separate themselves from Trump. Some do it quietly, their dislike hinted at in speeches or when asked questions, while others are actively advocating against Trump and for Biden.


Cindy McCain, the wife of the late Senator John McCain, has publicly endorsed Biden after the Atlantic’s article about Trump’s deprecating remarks towards service members. John Kasich, a former Republican governor of Ohio, and former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, have openly supported Biden by speaking at the Democratic National Convention. More than seventy national security officials have said they will be voting for Biden and that Trump is “unfit to lead”. During a phone call with constituents, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska denounced Trump for his handling (or a lack thereof) of white supremacists and his treatment of women. These are a few notable Republican critics of Trump, but their sentiments are shared, whether publicly or privately, by many other politicians.

The most vocal critic of Trump in the Senate is Senator Mitt Romney - the only Republican senator who voted to impeach Trump. Senator Romney explicitly stated that he did not vote for Trump this election, although he didn’t mention who he voted for. As for his reasoning, Romney stated that Trump has “eroded the GOP brand”. He believes the Republican Party is at risk of losing younger, minority, and elder voters, and that Trump has only exacerbated the situation.


Whether it’s because of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, the economy, social issues, or unfulfilled promises, Trump is losing votes among the parts of the Republican party. The RVAT movement that has arisen indicates that it might be possible to overcome party lines, if at least just for 2020.


Discussion Questions:

  • Despite what has been shown in this article, does the United States’ two-party system still prove to be polarizing?

  • Is the RVAT movement too small to have any real impact on the election results?

  • In the eyes of Republican voters, has Trump fulfilled his promise to “drain the swamp”?

  • Will the support or opposition of Trump by a Republican senator influence how that senator’s state will vote?

  • Why does Trump have more “strong support” in the polls than Biden?


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