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Eugene

(61,914 posts)
Fri May 6, 2016, 03:55 PM May 2016

Lindsey Graham won't vote for Trump or Clinton in 2016

Source: CNN

Lindsey Graham won't vote for Trump or Clinton in 2016

By Dana Bash, CNN
Updated 1825 GMT (0225 HKT) May 6, 2016

Washington (CNN) - Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Donald Trump's most outspoken Republican critics, says he will not vote for either Trump or Hillary Clinton for president this year.

Graham says in a statement Friday he "cannot in good conscience support Donald Trump because I do not believe he is a reliable Republican conservative nor has he displayed the judgment and temperament to serve as Commander in Chief."

South Carolina's senior senator also says he will join a growing list of veteran Republicans, including both Presidents Bush, Mitt Romney, John McCain and others, now declining to attend the party's convention this summer in Cleveland, Ohio.

Graham ran his own 2016 campaign for president, and was early to attack Trump in the starkest of terms -- telling voters they should tell Trump he should "go to hell."

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Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/06/politics/lindsey-graham-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-not-vote/
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Lindsey Graham won't vote for Trump or Clinton in 2016 (Original Post) Eugene May 2016 OP
He'll write in McCain, fold the ballot in half, kiss it, and put it in his coat pocket NightWatcher May 2016 #1
South Carolina is in play!!! underpants May 2016 #2
I expect Graham's stance is what nearly all moderate Republicans will do. floriduck May 2016 #3
Frankly, who cares who they vote for? whatthehey May 2016 #4
If your on of the two major party nominees, you would. floriduck May 2016 #6
Not if it's neither of them. Right now no other option matters whatthehey May 2016 #7
So back to my earlier response. floriduck May 2016 #8
Neither will I. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2016 #5
That's equivalent to 1/2 a vote a piece (although it doesn't increase their totals) rock May 2016 #9
Good! ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2016 #10

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)
1. He'll write in McCain, fold the ballot in half, kiss it, and put it in his coat pocket
Fri May 6, 2016, 03:59 PM
May 2016

Then retire home for a mint julep and a good cry.

 

floriduck

(2,262 posts)
3. I expect Graham's stance is what nearly all moderate Republicans will do.
Fri May 6, 2016, 04:08 PM
May 2016

The real question, if not Trump or Clinton, who then?

whatthehey

(3,660 posts)
4. Frankly, who cares who they vote for?
Fri May 6, 2016, 04:17 PM
May 2016

Any RW vote lost to Trump is a gain for Dems. Only two people have a chance to be POTUS and a non-red vote is a de facto blue vote, because it reduces the number of votes needed by one. Obviously twice as good is any RW vote that votes blue in protest, as that reduces the number of votes needed by two compared to a baseline race.

whatthehey

(3,660 posts)
7. Not if it's neither of them. Right now no other option matters
Fri May 6, 2016, 04:41 PM
May 2016

Unless a credible intraparty spoiler emerges (which is possible in both D and R races this year, but only a hypothetical right now) neither Trump nor, most likely, Clinton could give a rat's ass about Green or Constitution or Libertarian etc candidates. They know that it's incredibly unlikely they will matter. Only Nader has ever managed to make a (terrible) difference in generations playing spoiler from the current fringe parties and that was only by a rare confluence of election fraud, terrible Dem campaign choices, ballot confusion and media venality.

So Graham votes for the Libertarian or writes in McCain? Not going to shift a single EV.

Could this change? Sure. The Reps could draft an establishment candidate spoiler like Romney, knowing that it will guarantee a Dem White House win but would prevent both 2016 downticket and future Rep candidates with being tarred by Trump's foul association. Sanders could (v. v. unlikely) scorn his reputation for honest integrity and do the same on the blue side after promising not to. He'd guarantee a Trump WH but without the concomitant brand saving aspect for Dems. Since he's already raised his profile and influence enormously there is nothing positive he could hope to achieve. And sure to really go to the extreme in unlikeliness, Clinton could lose the nomination but choose to run anyway against Sanders and Trump. Again, bugger all in it for her as it too would guarantee a Trump win. Only the first option is even worth considering frankly, and that would be just peachy for Dems.

Barring those three options, Trump knows any non-Clinton (probably) vote is a win for him, and vice versa. Whose name is on it really doesn't matter much at all.

 

floriduck

(2,262 posts)
8. So back to my earlier response.
Fri May 6, 2016, 04:54 PM
May 2016

If your the Dem and a third party Dem runs, like Sanders, Clinton would definitely care. Likewise, if your Trump and a Romney or other GOP establishment member runs on a third party platform, Trump would care.

What part of "If your on of the two major party nominees, you would." is incorrect?

rock

(13,218 posts)
9. That's equivalent to 1/2 a vote a piece (although it doesn't increase their totals)
Fri May 6, 2016, 06:12 PM
May 2016

Do you suppose Graham realizes that?

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