What truly is the motivation behind the republican congressmen and women coming out to support Hillary?

You would have to ask them one-on-one to be sure. But I think that they see Trump as bad for the party, in that if he loses big then their seats (house and senate) are also at risk.

A smaller concern is the direction of the country.

But I would mark this as pure self-interest. If Trump brings the numbers down, then these defectors are not re-elected.

Maybe they are just as horrified by his actions as I am.

It’s just a calulated political move in self interest.

Some of them may be doing it in genuine protest to Trump’s disgusting candidacy, but they’re also—or more likely, ONLY—angling to save their own skins down-ballot when he loses Huuuuge.

Trump. And common sense maybe.

Maybe we can characterize it this way:

“Shits deserting a sinking rat”

Petulance.

Hoping to save their own seats.

The reaction is merely the sensible response to the enormity of the disaster. Little imagination is required to understand the consequences of presenting Trump the opportunity to do to the country what he has effectively done to the former GOP. Trump has actually achieved the virtual destruction of his party through the simple mechanism of forcing the separation of the realists from the fools.

Before Hitler came into power, the conservative side thought that after he becomes chancellor, that he could be controlled by them like a puppet.
The reps in question probably know, that just like Hitler, Trump can not be controlled.

@JLeslie IMHO it represents their level of corruption and terror of change. Hillary win is a win for sitting/and not sitting Republicans/Democrats who love the status quo. Sometimes called the “establishment.”

There are a number of reasons, I am sure.
1. To save their seat.
2. I’m sure some want to save the party they first joined.
3. I’m sure some are educated enough to see the similarities to Hitler. So terrified.
4. Some may not be bigots themselves so they find him offensive.
5. Some have enough sense to recognize a mentally unstable person.
6. Some recognize the danger he will represent to our countries economy, and how he will effect our relationships abroad.
7. Some may not want to go down in history as a douche bag that backed up another douche bag.
8. Some may feel that he will forever ruin the standing of Presidential office and know he will never change.
He just stated today, “I am what I am.” In other words. What you see is what you will get. He will never change to fit the office.
Since it is several people involved, there is no doubt many more personal reasons.

Of course anyone profiting from the present setup has plenty to fear with Trump’s orange ass planted in the White House. It’s merely a happy coincidence that their own selfish interests can be masked by the looming catastrophe of the country in the toilet and Trump on the seat.

In addition to how terrible Trump is, there’s also that Clinton’s relatively conservative and pro-corporation, in many ways. Some people have placed her on their political spectrum attempts as where many Republicans used to be before the Republican Party drank the Tea Party and went retardo-crazy.

To call her conservative does a disservice to conservatives. Clinton can be summed up in two words “yeah me”

@ARE_you_kidding_me
which means she is a conservative.

In all fairness to politicians, I think that nearly all of them believe that the public interest is best served by having them in office. That makes it difficult to sort out self-interest from public interest. Some have staked out positions contrary to what Trump is saying and feel duty bound to separate themselves from him. I can’t recall any presidential election where there was so much defection from the party presidential candidate.

Trump.

Trump does not represent the values of the Republican Party.
The anti-Trumpers are betting that he will lose, and they’ll be there to help re-shape the party.
Worst case scenario, Trump wins and they don’t have to change course in order to be in a position to block his crazy antics.

The man has self-destruct written all over him, undertaking a public enterprise.

The continuation of the status quo.

The Federal government has become the china shop to both the left and the right.

Donald Trump is the bull they are desperate to keep out.

Oh, after watching the news last night and the latestet polls, I can add a big reason to the list of defectors. Apparently Trump is beginning to lose swing states and Hillarys numbers are starting to rise in GOP states to the point where she may actually have a chance to win them. Which means they may lose the majority in the house, come November.
Nothing like the Captain of a Ship taking his whole crew down with him. LOL