Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Donald Trump’s Slip in Polls Has G.O.P. Worried About Congress
In recent polls, the ratings for Donald Trump have plummeted in crucial swing states. Republicans are worried that with Trump's support falling, their support will also fall, causing many of the Republican nominees for Congress to fail to be elected or reelected. This leads to the issue of whether the Republicans running for Congress should pull their support away from Trump. Some Republicans already have openly stated that they do not support Trump, but most have stayed silent, a strategy that may come back to hurt them if Clinton wins the election by a landslide. Do you think that it would be beneficial for the Republicans attempting to get elected to either openly support or not support Trump? Do you think it would make a difference at all? Why?
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I think it would be beneficial for Republicans seeking election in swing states to openly denounce Donald Trump. His campaign is imploding, and with the new 2005 tape that was just released, he most likely turned off the remaining women who are undecided and quite a few of his female supporters. Democrats will not be able to run attack ads linking these candidates to Trump if they denounce Trump, and I think they will perform better than if they stuck with him. They may alienate some Trump supporters, but they will gain the votes of many more conservative independents who don't like Trump. Furthermore, Trump supporters who are just supporting him because he is the nominee won't care. However, in Red states, it doesn't really matter what Republican officeseekers say about Trump because they don't have any serious opposition.
ReplyDeleteThis is dangerous territory.
ReplyDeleteBy endorsing this actual demagogue, you're possibly destroying the rest of your political career.
But I'm a democrat.
I think you have to take a stand here, fight the threat, but then again, I'm not trying to win the same supporters. A lot of Republicans are currently rescinding their support, so I suspect that this article is probably obsolete for many by now, but it's also excruciatingly timely considering those on the fence. Do they stay and hope they can keep the Senate and House? Do they leave trying to predict the American people's swing back to reality? I don't know. I have no answer, and instead of endeavoring to answer, I'll endeavor to explain why I cannot.
I am not a conservative in any way, shape, or form. Though, in many ways, neither is Donald Trump. Frankly, conservatives should probably distance themselves from his stances on gun control, and (depending on the day) abortion. When America's Step-Dad, Tim Kaine, pointed out to Mike Pence that Trump has recently supported some kind of punishment for women who have an abortion, Mike Pence struggled for a response, blurting out that Trump is "not a polished politician" but it's more than that in my eyes. But I'm not a conservative. I'm not a Trump supporter, and frankly I haven't met any moderate Trump supporters. I don't really know how anyone could be. But I'm not a conservative hoping for a conservative president and house. If elected, I believe most of the job of being president would go to Mike Pence. But I don't really want that either. And I don't really want the vote of those who vote for Trump. Republicans do. That's their voting pool. So, for some of them, that answer has to be a no. They have to support Trump because that's who helps them get elected. But hopefully the moderate ones don't. Hopefully moderate Republicans reach across the aisle and say "hey, liberal voters, how can I appeal to you?"
But they might not.
Or they might.
This election is crazy enough already. Nothing would surprise me now.
I believe it would end up being pretty detrimental for Republicans seeking seats to still hold their endorsements of Trump. It's hard to believe that anyone would want to be associated with someone who has acted in the ways he has, so the Repiblicans recanting their endorsements would actually be very beneficial to them; it might make them look a little more like reasonal human beings. However, as liberal, I don't really want this, because then what could the Democrats seeking those same seats do? It's much easier to tie a whole group to a single name that holds a negative connotation, than it is to criticize individual policies. So, while it is nice to know that not all Republicans support Trump, them recanting their endorsements of him could serve as a threat to Democratic candidates seeking those same positions.
ReplyDeleteIf Republicans had any sense at all for what is good for this country, themselves, and their governmental prospects they would make it incredibly clear that they do not support Mr. Trump. There is little to no chance that he will win at this point and if the GOP wants to keep their seats in congress they would not act as a team with him. There is no sense in pretending that they have a viable candidate so the entire party should band together to garner as many votes as possible to hold onto the seats that they still have left after the damage that he has done. However, like Senator Kelly Ayotte, many of the republican congressmen and women have already shown their support and now have to back pedal. If some of these republicans didn't support Trump at first, why did they publicly praise him? I understand that politics is just one big game at this point but it's nauseating. The people should know who they are truly voting for, not just what the party wants them to think they are voting for.
ReplyDeleteThe article mentioned that if Trump does poorly in tonight’s debate Republicans may “flee from their nominee”. I highly doubt that Trump will be able to do well tonight due to the recent release of his sexual harassments. Trump losing votes from his own party, swing state, and independents, is, to me (a liberal) is hopeful and exciting. Finally people are realized exactly how unprepared and outrageous he is.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans and Democrats both have a lot on the line during this election. Many seats in Congress are tossup between the parties, which adds even more importance to this election. Having Trump adding tension to the Republican makes it harder for state and local Republicans to get elected. He and his party are in a very sticky situation to no fault but their own.
I think it would be more beneficial to either not give a stance on Trump or denounce him as opposed to endorsing him. People listening to those giving a negative opinion would possibly still vote for them, even if the citizen did like Trump. But if a Congressman endorses Trump, some could perceive that as being bigoted, which could make people not vote with him.
The article mentioned that if Trump does poorly in tonight’s debate Republicans may “flee from their nominee”. I highly doubt that Trump will be able to do well tonight due to the recent release of his sexual harassments. Trump losing votes from his own party, swing state, and independents, is, to me (a liberal) is hopeful and exciting. Finally people are realized exactly how unprepared and outrageous he is.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans and Democrats both have a lot on the line during this election. Many seats in Congress are tossup between the parties, which adds even more importance to this election. Having Trump adding tension to the Republican makes it harder for state and local Republicans to get elected. He and his party are in a very sticky situation to no fault but their own.
I think it would be more beneficial to either not give a stance on Trump or denounce him as opposed to endorsing him. People listening to those giving a negative opinion would possibly still vote for them, even if the citizen did like Trump. But if a Congressman endorses Trump, some could perceive that as being bigoted, which could make people not vote with him.
Hmmmm... there are two ways to think about this: business-wise or ideollogically. From a business perspective, I think Republican nominees need to hold out as long as they can before making a final decision. If there is ANY way that Trump can manage to right his wrongs in the next thirty days and regain any support, the Republicans who are currently turning away from Trump might suffer. I don't know how much more Trump can do save himself a month out from the election, but it is still a month, there are two more debates as of right now, and he's Donald Trump. He's a cat with nine lives (hopefully he has used them all by now but he may have one or two in safe-keeping... just like his tax returns).
ReplyDeleteMy ideological stance about all of this chaos is: what are you waiting for! This is your chance! Drop him like a sack of potatoes! You're free! He's done himself in!
The number of Republican senators who have rescinded support of Trump since the release of the 2005 tape has doubled. For Republicans in congress, it seems that staying silent with a prior Trump endorsement enduring would be seen as an act of defiance against the obvious Republican political strategy. Those who continue to support him will stick out, and this could be used against them in their respective campaigns. It's like the Trump cruise ship just hit an iceberg and is sinking quickly; if all of the Republican passengers don't get on the life boats soon, there won't be any left, and they will be taken down with the Trump administration. It's increasingly evident that Trump is not going to succeed in these swing states, ones that are absolutely crucial in the electoral college. I would say don't even wait until the debate tonight to come to a decision: drop Trump before your endorsement of him becomes a stain on your campaign. Of course, the question then is, who do you then endorse? Trump isn't going to drop out voluntarily, and most Republicans won't be caught dead supporting Hilary. It is a difficult political decision for these Republicans seeking congressional election.
ReplyDeleteDonald Trump's campaign is like "The Big Bang Theory," it started out funny, then turned into utter crap that nobody likes.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see the effect Donald Trump's outlandish behavior has now that it has caught up with him. Donald Trump's reputation is so bad that, according to the article, the Democrats are using his affiliation with other Republicans to bash them during advertisements! I've said Donald Trump is a smart business man, but his presidential campaign is just horrible. His big personality has ruined the Republican party for this election. It's hard for me to suggest that the Republicans should "take the L" for the presidency, but, in the bigger picture, if the party wants to have some sort of power in the following years, they may need to drop Trump's support.
I agree with Ian. The Big Bang Theory did start out funny, but now it's sadly terrible. In the same way Trump is digging himself deeper into the pits of despair as new recordings of his crude and awful comments in the past are surfacing. And Trump's going downhill is bringing his endorsers with him. I originally thought it would be a good idea for republicans to stick with their endorsement of Trump to show defiance and perseverance, but at this point supporting Trump wholeheartedly will definitely been seen as stupid rather than perseverant. I was extremely surprised when I saw that Senetor Kelly Ayotte said that Trump was a role model for children. That might as well be the end of her political career.
DeleteEndorsing Trump is definitely not the right way to go. You could get away with not taking a stance, but I believe that separating yourself from Donald Trump is the safest option. Trump's campaign is constantly tarnished by things he has said or done in the past and no one really knows how much controversial stuff he's actually said. Anything could come up at any moment. I'm surprised his campaign is still going on, actually I'm surprised his campaign was ever a thing. By endorsing Trump you're endorsing everything he stands for, which are not good things. Although he is the leasing republican candidate, I don't think it's worth it to endorse him. I don't believe trump will win this election, so it is not the right decision to endorse him, especially if you don't actually agree with his ideas.
ReplyDeleteStanding by Trump is a dangerous move right now, especially if you're up for reelection in a position in Congress. If the Speaker of the House has denounced Trump and you haven't, there's a serious problem. Staying silent won't help in this situation. Since so many Republicans have been vocal about their decision, doing the opposite of that is confirmation that they still support Trump. To all supporters of Trump I have one question: are you aware that by supporting Trump you support his statements? The 2005 tapes have confirmed-- or in many cases simply supported-the fact that Trump is a terrible human being who is unfit to be president. My advice to Republicans is to abandon Trump now in order to save their careers and dignity.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be a smart move for Republicans seeking election to distance themselves from Trump right now. After the leak of his interview with Billy Bush this past weekend, in addition to the many other derogatory things Trump has said, he is building a resume consisting of mostly negative moments. For a congressman seeking election, to back someone like this would be a horrible move, as it would place them in the same boat as Trump, even if they don't hold any of his beliefs. I don't see any reason why anyone would continue to endorse Trump, as it seems like he is a train wreck just moments away from crashing and burning, and for someone to hop on at the last stop doesn't make sense to me. I think staying silent may be worse though, because it shows that they were too weak to take an actual stance on the issue. All in all, I think it will make a difference whether a politician were to endorse Trump or not, because an endorsement of Donald Trump will come back to haunt you later, especially with all the racist remarks he has made.
ReplyDeleteThere's no doubt that Donald Trump's recently surfaced comments are likely to exacerbate his already low poll numbers. This will likely also negatively impact Republican candidates across local races. I think many Republicans will try to distance themselves from Trump to avoid associations. However, I'm not too sure if the G.O.P. is really in a full on crisis mode like many say. In the past eight years, the party has done phenomaly on state and local races, reaching large majorities in Congress. Although I think it is fitting that Trump's recent behavior will likely undermine his campaign, I also think that it will do little to hurt the party in state and local runs. Unless people who are appalled by Trump begin to miraculously vote in non-presidential races, the impact will likely be minimal. Still, in order to try to minimize the damage Trump is doing, Republicans would be wise to distance themselves from him. As we have seen in just the last day, this is already happening.
ReplyDeleteEndorsing or condemning him is a lose-lose situation. If a Republican senator wants to run for election, it would be hard to condemn him because there are so many Trump supporters that would give their support behind another senate candidate. If the senator were to endorse Trump and try to win the votes of Trump supporters, but Trump says something racist or sexist (which is very likely), the senator would look bad by association. Either way, it will negatively impact Republican candidates in all forms of elections, and this spilt highlights the difference not just between Blue and Red America but the ultra-conservatives and relatively moderate ones.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, the GOP is stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one. Many Trump supporters are so polarized that if you are not with Trump, you are against him. And then if a senator wants to endorse Trump, he will be associated with Trump and all the baggage he brings with him. Due to this conflict between die-hard conservatives and moderate conservatives, I see a wave off in the distance in the next few upcoming elections. And that wave appears to be blue.
DeleteI completely agree, the GOP is stuck between a rock and a hard place on this one. Many Trump supporters are so polarized that if you are not with Trump, you are against him. And then if a senator wants to endorse Trump, he will be associated with Trump and all the baggage he brings with him. Due to this conflict between die-hard conservatives and moderate conservatives, I see a wave off in the distance in the next few upcoming elections. And that wave appears to be blue.
Delete2016 could prove to be a devastating election for the Republican Party, with Trump expected to lose by a significant margin. As Martin notes, this puts Republican candidates for Congress in a precarious situation. They'll probably have to end up weighting two factors: the demographics of their individual voter bases, and in what position they want to be in for the future. While in some more traditional-conservative areas it might be best to keep quiet, many nominees should absolutely consider revoking support for Trump where they have even a modestly mixed conservative-liberal voter base (both to attract right-leaning Democrats and more moderate Republicans). With many now doing so, it appears the GOP considers Trump to be a bust at this point.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, I'm pretty sure most Republicans have made up their mind as to if they will rescind or keep their support for Trump. Back at the time that this article was posted, I would think that many could still change their opinions based upon the information newly presented, seeing as other politicians were taking their chance to announce their positions, but now that the election is so close, their announcement would have little to no effect but could be used against them if something were to go wrong. They could also be considered to jumping on / off the bandwagon for their previous indecision up to this point. Regardless, I still believe that it would be the best idea for any logical Republicans to denounce Trump and get away from his claims, as I don't think Trump is going to win this election. It's sad that in the first place, these people have to denounce their party candidate, but if the person is one as disgusting and polarizing as Trump, than it needs to be done for the good of the country.
ReplyDeleteBefore I saw the election in action, I would have thought that openly supporting Trump would have been bad since the more moderate, "sane" Republicans would have disapproved, but not supporting Trump would have not only cause discord in the party, but irritated Trump supporters immensely. However, after seeing the election in action, in which Republicans rode Trump's victory wake into Senate and House, perhaps it was the right choice for them to remain quiet.
ReplyDeleteBefore I saw the election results, I would've thought it would be beneficial for republicans to stay silent on their support for Trump. This is due to the fact that they do not want to isolate their nationalist or their moderate base. Due to the clear division in the party, you would think you would want to tap into both bases and fuel your campaign, and endorsing or rejecting Donald Trump would isolate one of the two. It seems as though either remaining quiet or endorsing him was the right path to take, as Trump ended up being wildly popular (unfortunately). Logically, I would've thought that denouncing him would be inherently safe; however, it was clear he had support and so being quiet seemed correct, and it turned out that endorsing him was the best path.
ReplyDelete