"Never Trump" Republicans arent giving up in their quest to find a conservative alternative to Donald Trump
.
Now that Trump has cleared the field of rivals to become the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee, anti-Trump conservatives have turned their attention to recruiting a candidate to challenge Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton
in the general election, either as an independent write-in candidate or as part of a third-party campaign.
Speaker Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan s (R-Wis.) decision Thursday to not endorse Trump will only give further oxygen to the furious efforts by some to find a Trump alternative
The Hill interviewed several operatives associated with the anti-Trump movement to ask who theyd like to see run
Heres who they hope to see on the ballot
Mitt Romney
The 2012 GOP nominee first declined to run for president in January of 2015.
Since then, hes consistently beat back pleas from panicked establishment Republicans to return to the fray and save the party from Trump.
The announcement Thursday from Ryan, Romneys 2012 running mate, that hes not ready to back Trump will surely fuel rumors that the former Massachusetts governor could get back in the ring.
In many ways, Romney would be the dream anti-Trump recruit.
He would have instant access to a national fundraising network and enough name ID to move quickly up the polls and make the debate stage.
Romneys entrance would attract a media frenzy, and hes the kind of center-right candidate that Republicans opposed to Trump could feel good about voting for.
Romney has thoroughly rebuked Trump and campaigned against him at every turn.
He has said that he will write a name in if his options are down Trump and Clinton. Could that be his name
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)
The 44-year-old freshman senator from Nebraska has been one of the most vocal opponents to Trump on Capitol Hill. Anti-Trump Republicans are holding out hope hell reconsider. Three different people mentioned his name to The Hill on Thursday. Rep. Justin Amash Former Sen. Tom Coburn The Kentucky GOP made it so that Paul could run for both president and reelection to the Senate simultaneously. But Paul's reelection bid is now in full-swing, and it would irritate many in the party if he were to distract himself from that with another long-shot presidential bid.
Poster Comment:
1) Paul Ryan 2) Mitt Romney 3) Sen. Ben Sasse 4) General John Kelly 5) Gary Johnson 6) Rep. Justin Amash 7) Tom Coburn 8) Marco Rubio 9) Nikki Haley 10) Rand Paul If Gary Johnson gets the Libertarian Party nomination, he'll have near 50 state ballot access.
On Thursday, Sasse penned an open letter on his Facebook page about why voters should not settle for either Trump or Clinton and outlined the qualities he wants to see in an independent or third-party candidate.
Why are we confined to these two terrible options? he wrote. This is America. If both choices stink, we reject them and go bigger. Thats what we do.
Unfortunately for anti-Trump conservatives, Sasse, who has a young family, says he wont run himself
General John Kelly
Anti-Trump conservatives spent months trying to convince Gen. James Mad Dog Mattis, a revered, straight-talking four-star retired Marine Corps general, to launch an independent bid.
Mattis officially took his name out of the running last week.
Now they have their eyes on another tell-it-like-it-is military man: Former U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly.
Kelly retired in January after more than four decades of service. He spent years in various leadership posts in Iraq and lost a son, former Marine Robert Kelly, to combat in Afghanistan.
Kelly has not spoken publicly about the presidential race, and a spokesperson did not return a request for comment about whether hed be interested.
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson
The Libertarian Party nominee is so far the only candidate other than Trump and Clinton who is likely to be on the ballot in all 50 states.
Johnson served two terms as the Republican governor of New Mexico beginning in 1995. He participated in one GOP presidential debate early in the 2012 cycle before running as a Libertarian and winning about 1.3 million votes in the general election.
Since 2012, Johnson has been working as president of a marijuana marketing firm. He left that position to run for president, winning the Libertarian nomination again in 2016.
One of the biggest challenges facing a new candidate will be hitting the threshold of 15 percent in national polls to qualify for the debates.
Johnson could be the answer: A Monmouth University survey from late March found him taking 11 percent in a hypothetical match-up against Trump and Clinton.
In a statement released Wednesday after Sen. Ted Cruz
(R-Texas) left the GOP race, Johnson put himself forward as the alternative to two of the most polarizing candidates in recent history.
With millions of Americans now feeling politically homeless, a two-term Governor who balanced budgets, cut taxes, cut regulations and truly reduced the size of government may offer the home they are seeking, Johnson said
The 36-year-old libertarian-leaning Michigan lawmaker says hell never support Trump and is furious with colleagues who have warmed to the likely nominee in recent weeks.
Amash, who first backed Sen. Rand Paul
(R-Ky.) in the primary and later Cruz, has thrived on Capitol Hill as a wildcard willing to buck GOP leaders.
He stoked speculation that a third-party run may be in the works with a cryptic tweet sent out late Tuesday night after Cruz suspended his campaign.
Amash did not return a request for comment
(R-Okla.)
Coburn served three terms in the House followed by two in the Senate, cutting his final stint short after being diagnosed with cancer.
Healthy now, Coburn is on the short list for most anti-Trump Republicans.
The Oklahoma Republican, who backed Sen. Marco Rubio
(R-Fla.) in the primary, told The New York Times earlier this year that hed back a third-party bid to stop Trump.
Coburn said he didnt expect that he would be that candidate, but he also declined to rule it out.
Coburn is well-known inside Washington from his frequent appearances on the cable news circuit. He's quotable and has a reputation as a pragmatic conservative.
But some believe he lacks the name recognition and a national fundraising network to get off the ground.
Nikki Haley
The South Carolina governor is one of the brightest young stars in the Republican Party.
Several anti-Trump conservatives have dropped her name, and the reasons are clear: As an Indian-American woman, she provides a double-shot of diversity. Shes also telegenic, charismatic and one of the most popular governors in the country.
Haley said Wednesday shed support the GOP nominee, but she could come under pressure to challenge him instead.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
The former most interesting man in politics could reclaim that title with a bold move back into the presidential race.
Hed likely find the press eager to cover his bid this time, giving him a platform to get out his message of expanding the party. That message was drowned out last year in the crowded GOP primary.
Conservative blogger Erick Erickson, a prominent Never Trump voice, told The Hill on Thursday that Paul would be a viable contender as a third-party or independent candidate
#1: ConservingFreedom To: hondo68 (#0)
Romney’s a fake conservative like Trump, and conservatives opposed to Trump would never vote for him.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-05-06 13:33:54 Reply Private Reply
#2: Pinguinite To: ConservingFreedom (#1)
Given what the "conservatives" have both done and failed to do for the country, who needs them?
Pinguinite posted on 2016-05-06 13:37:14 Reply Private Reply
#3: ConservingFreedom To: Pinguinite (#2)
I agree that we don't need fake conservatives like Romney or Trump.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-05-06 13:40:57 Reply Private Reply
#4: TrappedInMd To: ConservingFreedom (#1)
This sounds like the typical Trump generated hoax conspiracy made up to get gullible GOP primary voters to vote for him, against Cruz.(seems to have worked well)
Now that Cruz has caved it remains to be seen how well this type of stuff will play against Hillary.
TrappedInMd posted on 2016-05-06 13:51:57 Reply Private Reply
#5: Hondo68 To: ConservingFreedom, Trump lemmings, rubes, The Hillary Nation (#1)
Willard Mitt Romney is "severely conservative" an' don't you forget it! Millions of fake conservatives (REAL Republicans) and lemmings voted for him in '12. Enough for Obama to win in a landslide.
Trump is that sort of candidate too, a shill for the Dems. Real Americans won't vote for crud like Trump or Hillary. They'll vote third party/independent, or stay at home.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 14:19:43 Reply Private Reply
#6: misterwhite To: hondo68 (#0)
How does "conservative" positions on the issues differ from Trump's? That's the article I want to see.
misterwhite posted on 2016-05-06 14:30:08 Reply Private Reply
#7: Pinguinite To: ConservingFreedom (#3)
I don't even know what conservative is supposed to be these days. What I do know is that W Bush greatly expanded the national debt by engaging in wars that killed lots and lots of people.
I do expect far better fiscal responsibility from an experienced money guy like Trump than I would any R president in the last 60 or 100 years.
Pinguinite posted on 2016-05-06 14:52:10 Reply Private Reply
#8: BorisY To: misterwhite (#6)
I was told yesterday that Trump is a liberal Democrat.
My reply:
Build the wall.
Enforce the law.
Deport them all.
End sanctuary cities.
End anchor babies.
Slap a moratorium on muslim immigration.
Cut the taxes.
Cut the spending.
Cut the regulations.
Cut the government.
Cut the debt.
Cut the EPA.
Repeal ObamaCare.
Get the feds out and allow health insurance to be sold over state lines.
Send education back to states.
Get a handle on trade.
Make trade deals in our own best interests.
Bring back capital.
Bring back manufacturing.
Bring back jobs.
Strengthen the economy.
Defend the second amendment.
Defend religious freedom.
Appoint constitutional conservative judges.
Rebuild our military.
Bomb the shit out of ISIS (and take their oil).
End political correctness.
Take the GOP head-on.
Take the media head-on.
Take the liberals head-on.
And win, baby, win.
All of the above on a shoestring budget compared to most of the 16 competitors he’s defeated (after they spent 100's of millions of donor bucks).
No PACs.
No big donors.
No party support.
What’s democrat about any of the above?
What’s not conservative?
What’s not to like?
And I’ll add a few more:
Redo the horrid Iran deal.
Take a serious look at NATO.
Require our allies to pay more for their defense.
Rebuild the Reagan Coalition and attract blue collar workers by making America first again on manufacturing, trade, secure borders, economy and jobs, jobs, jobs!
Make America Great Again!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3421722/posts
Damn Jim !!!
Looks like you nailed it.
This is exactly what I think.
Add restore a free press
15 posted on 04/16/2016 6:29:19 PM PDT by stockpirate
To: stockpirate
“Add restore a free press!”
And to do that, make the press just like the rest of us in terms of being liable for lying. Sue a few of them, and watch how much “more accurate” reporting becomes!
PM PDT by vette6387 (Obama can go to hell!)
ps
I
just
want
to
be
able
to
say
merry
Christmas
again
Donald
Trump
quote
circa
2016
February
love
boris
BorisY posted on 2016-05-06 14:56:25 Reply Private Reply
#9: ConservingFreedom To: BorisY, misterwhite (#8)
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-05-06 15:14:35 Reply Private Reply
#10: sneakypete To: hondo68 (#0)
What could possibly go wrong there?
You have to wonder why in never occurred to any of those party insider goobers why Trump was able to gain so much traction with Republican voters,wouldn't you?
Is it possible they asked themselves that question,and the answer the came up with is "more of the same! Yeah,that's what they want,more of the same!"
sneakypete posted on 2016-05-06 15:19:39 Reply Private Reply
#11: sneakypete To: Pinguinite (#7)
Truth to tell,I don't remember either that evil old bastard Poppy OR Boy Jorge ever describing themselves as conservatives. I remember the press and their supporters describing them as conservatives,but not either of them. Boy Jorge didn't even pretend.
sneakypete posted on 2016-05-06 15:22:41 Reply Private Reply
#12: BorisY To: ConservingFreedom (#9)
Trump
didn't
care
about
Kim
Davis
brucey
jenner
yes
love
boris
ps
we'll
see
he's
been
wobbling
right
pss
that
ain't
so
bad
compared
to
the
free
fall
leftist
who
have
been
ruining
everything
lately
BorisY posted on 2016-05-06 15:24:32 Reply Private Reply
#13: sneakypete To: BorisY (#8)
Neither is ever coming back short of a world-wide depression that results in the plants in Asia being shut down.
You can thank the Bush and Clinton Crime Families for that,as well as a complicit congress and Senate.
sneakypete posted on 2016-05-06 15:25:24 Reply Private Reply
#14: Hondo68 To: BorisY, Merry Christmas (#8)
You can say it, and you did.
Next year you'll be able to wish President Hillary a Merry Christmas!
Recorded in 1978, a Jimmy Carter Chrstmas
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 15:34:41 Reply Private Reply
#15: Pinguinite To: BorisY (#12)
you
please
fix
your
browser
so
it
doesn't
print
one
word
per
line?
Thank
you.
Pinguinite posted on 2016-05-06 15:43:06 Reply Private Reply
#16: nolu chan To: hondo68 (#0)
The Libertarian Party has a lot of states left to go in order to make that happen.
https://www.lp.org/2016-presidential-ballot-access-map
That poll was from March 24, 2016. 42 (H), 34 (T), 11 (J). Heads up it was 48 (C), 38 (T).
The inclusion of Johnson drew mostly from Clinton (down 6), not Trump (down 4). Significantly, in May, Trump is polling much stronger than in March.
nolu chan posted on 2016-05-06 16:57:19 Reply Private Reply
#17: Hondo68 To: nolu chan (#16)
That's what they said about Mittens, before his landslide loss.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 17:12:05 Reply Private Reply
#18: nolu chan To: hondo68 (#17)
Only the willfully ignorant can confuse Mittens and Trump. Not only did Mittens fail spectacularly in 2012, he failed spectacularly when he attacked Trump in 2016.
nolu chan posted on 2016-05-06 17:41:24 Reply Private Reply
#19: Justified To: All (#0)
If people like Bernie and Trump can keep kicking the elites in the ass why not support them?
We are never going back to the days of real freedoms. Once we allowed women to vote US was screwed. Women only want a sugar daddy government. The only real change is collapse the US completely which means collapse the world and that just means world war III. When thats resolved you will end up even worse.
Trump may not be want you want but he is breaking the back of the elites in charge and next election you can keep electing non traditional people to government until we get real change. If not enjoy more of the same.
Third party vote is a complete waste and will get you the opposite of want you want. The greatest 3rd party run was still someone from the 2 party system and all that happen was a split which lead to Bubba gump in office. That lead to more progressive government. Yes more of the same progressive government you so love. Watch what you ask for you just might get it!
Justified posted on 2016-05-06 17:43:36 Reply Private Reply
#20: A K A Stone To: hondo68 (#17)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-05-06 18:14:28 Reply Private Reply
#21: A K A Stone To: hondo68 (#0)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-05-06 18:18:33 Reply Private Reply
#22: Hondo68 To: A K A Stone, *2016 The Likely Suspects* (#20)
Outside of the Trump elite, fawning main stream media bubble, is the real world. Look at those Yuge numbers!
Hillary and Glen Beck can't get those sort of ratings.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 18:37:15 Reply Private Reply
#23: A K A Stone To: hondo68 (#22)
You're such a liberal butt fucked.
A K A Stone posted on 2016-05-06 18:43:13 Reply Private Reply
#24: misterwhite To: ConservingFreedom (#9)
So Trump IS espousing conservative principles and policies -- you just don't trust him to deliver. That about right?
misterwhite posted on 2016-05-06 19:21:06 Reply Private Reply
#25: misterwhite To: hondo68 (#22)
misterwhite posted on 2016-05-06 19:22:37 Reply Private Reply
#26: ConservingFreedom To: misterwhite (#24)
For the most part.
Yup.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-05-06 19:57:37 Reply Private Reply
#27: Deckard To: hondo68 (#22)
Deckard posted on 2016-05-06 20:05:57 Reply Private Reply
#28: Hondo68 To: Deckard, misterwhite, hated by many, liked by few (#27)
Trump is hated ~twice as much as Hillary.
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-distaste-for-both-trump-and-clinton-is-record-breaking/
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 20:41:13 Reply Private Reply
#29: A K A Stone To: hondo68 (#28)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-05-06 20:44:59 Reply Private Reply
#30: Justified To: hondo68 (#28)
Only gore lost with a higher dislike rating. Clinton won because of pub split.
Justified posted on 2016-05-06 20:59:43 Reply Private Reply
#31: Deckard To: A K A Stone, hondo68 (#29)
Pointing out the fact that both Trump and Clinton are historically disliked makes one an "abortion supporter"?
Typical AKA logic.
Deckard posted on 2016-05-06 21:02:25 Reply Private Reply
#32: Fred Mertz To: Deckard (#31)
But their neighbors still buy it elsewhere and imbibe if they so choose.
Fred Mertz posted on 2016-05-06 21:10:50 Reply Private Reply
#33: Hondo68 To: Justified, algore trump (#30)
Good observations. Trump has that wide spread dislike, similar to algore.
The Donald will probably be yelling... count every vote until I win, like algore.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 21:33:11 Reply Private Reply
#34: A K A Stone To: Deckard (#31)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-05-06 21:34:58 Reply Private Reply
#35: Deckard To: Fred Mertz (#32)
Last time I was down that way visiting family in Jackson, Breathitt County was still dry.
Had to head up the road a piece to Campton in Wolfe County just to pick up a six pack.
Crazy way to run a state.
Going to the Derby Tomorrow?
I heard the General Admission is $371 to $415.
Is that correct?
Deckard posted on 2016-05-06 21:35:47 Reply Private Reply
#36: Deckard To: A K A Stone (#34)
It's spelled "Gary".
And yes, he's a libertarian who believes it should be left up to the states to decide.
Deckard posted on 2016-05-06 21:37:26 Reply Private Reply
#37: Fred Mertz To: Deckard (#35)
F**kers started charging $8 a beer this year. I'm taking some miniatures in and ordering a few Cokes. I hope I can afford Cokes.
Fred Mertz posted on 2016-05-06 21:40:19 Reply Private Reply
#38: buckeroo To: Fred Mertz, TLBSHOW (#37)
If that dirty rat bastard, TLBSHOW, would pay you back, not only could you have your beer and a Trump cap but also more able to increase the wager so you could go home with more winnings based on increased wagers.
buckeroo posted on 2016-05-06 21:52:41 Reply Private Reply
#39: Justified To: hondo68 (#33)
Justified posted on 2016-05-06 21:55:58 Reply Private Reply
#40: Hondo68 To: A K A Stone (#34)
But you voted for gay marriage license signing Mitt, the pedophile queer scouts advocate.
Gary Johnson left the Republican Party before they went full Mitt... gayer than Ted Kennedy.
Hondo68 posted on 2016-05-06 21:58:37 Reply Private Reply
#41: Fred Mertz To: hondo68 (#40)
Fred Mertz posted on 2016-05-06 22:14:35 Reply Private Reply
#42: misterwhite To: ConservingFreedom (#26)
misterwhite posted on 2016-05-07 09:38:30 Reply Private Reply
#43: ConservingFreedom To: misterwhite (#42)
Then allow me to elaborate: I don't trust Trump because he has long been a crony capitalist voicing support for liberal positions while lining the pockets of liberal politicians - he's played "conservative" for no longer than he's had serious presidential ambitions.
ConservingFreedom posted on 2016-05-07 10:03:31 Reply Private Reply
#44: misterwhite To: ConservingFreedom (#43)
No need to elaborate. You've already said you don't trust Trump. I believe you.
But I trust Trump because he has such strong and bold positions. It's one thing for a candidate to say, "I'm going to enforce our immigration laws and completely reform our immigration policy." Heard it before.
Versus Trump who says, "I'm going to build a wall and Mexico will pay for it. And I'm going to deport the 11 million illegals who are already here. And I'm going to halt Muslim relocation.
Whoa! Hard to backtrack on that. And that's what scares the GOPe.
misterwhite posted on 2016-05-07 10:25:48 Reply Private Reply
#45: Stoner To: sneakypete (#11)
You know Pete, I don't remember that either. I did have some strong disagreements with some family members, and some local party members about that though.
Stoner posted on 2016-05-07 15:48:16 Reply Private Reply
#46: sneakypete To: Justified (#19)
I thought about the same thing,and came to the conclusion I could never support Trump because he SEEMS to be doing the right thing,but for the wrong reasons. People that do things for the wrong reasons usually tend to be even worse than the ones they replaced if they do gain power.
And that is just assuming he doesn't drop out,which I still think he will do.
sneakypete posted on 2016-05-07 18:31:52 Reply Private Reply
#47: Justified To: sneakypete (#46)
He is a narcissist so you really never know what is on his mind.
My choice will be Hillary which makes sticking my head in a fire ant pile enjoyable or a so called anti establishment candidate. Trump is not my first choice but he will probably do the least amount of damage over any candidate that even has a smidgen of a chance to win even one state. He might even surprise us all? Plus I do not think I can take 4 more years of anti small business, anti white man, anti freedom lover and anti American! I would fold my company and take medical retirement due to my crap back.
Besides is it not worth a vote for Trump to watch Neoclowns and progressives heads explode?
Justified posted on 2016-05-07 20:30:14 Reply Private Reply
#48: A K A Stone To: ConservingFreedom (#43)
A K A Stone posted on 2016-05-07 20:44:44 Reply Private Reply
#49: sneakypete To: Justified (#47)
Ok. I guess we will find out who is right pretty soon,unless he drops out.
Besides is it not worth a vote for Trump to watch Neoclowns and progressives heads explode?
No. I have to live with myself,and I have nothing but contempt for the typical Trump supporter. It was asshats like this that got us Poppy,Boy Jorge,McLunatic,and Romney.
sneakypete posted on 2016-05-07 23:49:10 Reply Private Reply
#50: sneakypete To: A K A Stone (#48)
Don't blame me if you don't know that they are nothing but fascists,or if you don't know what a fascist is.
Do you wet the bed?
More homo-erotic questions? What is it with you and the constant barrage of homo-erotic questions? Why do you want to know? Are you interested in licking the sheets? If so,I suggest you PM Fire Island.
sneakypete posted on 2016-05-07 23:52:45 Reply Private Reply