Democrats: if Trump is out of the race, which Republican do you hope wins the nomination?

Not sure if I count. I’m NOT a Dem; however, I am an Independent who leans to the left to the point of almost falling over. I don’t like Nikki although I do see her as the lesser evil of the bunch. I find Ron to be more dangerous than 45, so definitely NOT him. I like to think that Vivek mostly likes to hear himself speak, but I do NOT like him so I’m already counting him out. Chris ran just to piss off 45 but I don’t think he’d be a good President & I don’t think he wants to be..

You count too.

I think Nikki Haley and I think she could win. But if we could get a Democratic House and Senate, I would hope not much damage would be done.

And no, I would not vote in a Republican primary and anyway, in my state, I can’t.

I’m in Nikki Haley’s corner. It was Pence, but he’s out.

I like Christie.

I’m not a Democrat or a Republican, but IMHO, Nikki Haley is the only person currently in the race on either side that I’d vote for without holding my nose.

@janbb I know a few people switching parties to vote in the primary.

Nikki Haley.
I don’t like many of her positions, but I respect her.

I’d gladly take Liz Cheney. She’s honest, serious, and courageous. Back in the old days, we used to have right, center, and left members of both parties, and candidates from both sides were responsible people who respected the office and its norms. She carries those values forward, one of the few. That makes her a person one could vote for without shame.

I’m not willing to register as a Republican in any case. In addition to going against my principles, there’d be no end to the junk mail, spam, and general pestering I’d be subjected to. What I get now coming out of the left side is bad enough. Once, my well-meaning aunt bought me a subscription to a popular evangelical Christian periodical, and it took me years to accomplish the purging of my mailbox.

@Jeruba Liz Cheney isn’t running for President. I like her, too, but she’s not running.

Too early to tell. I don’t make decisions on “IF” prospects.
I also keep my vote to myself.

Trump’s going to win again. The DNC has fucked this country by not holding a real primary.

Biden insists on running. I was sure that the DNC would have pressured him to not run again but I guess they tried and were not successful or didn’t try.

@gorillapaws I’m not saying that Biden is the best candidate but who do you think might prevail against Trump?

And I just got a fundraising text from Nikki Haley. Do you think they read Fluther – ir is it a coincidence?

She reads Fluther!!!

^^ Very scary!

@janbb I think Marianne Williamson would run circles around Trump in a debate and would win on the issues (not that I agree with every belief she has or think she’s an ideal candidate). The media and DNC have conspired to sabotage any chance she has though: ”...And joining me today is a crazy lady who has absolutely no chance of ever winning. So Marianne, tell us why you’ve decided to try to make Biden look bad and help Trump win?” Mostly it’s just been a media blackout on her.

I think Jon Stewart could win, but doesn’t want the job. The DNC has worked overtime to snuff out any progressive upstarts from within and managed to defang the existing ones to the point they’re uninspiring.

At this point I’m voting 3rd party again. I think it’s the best chance of preventing an endless lame duck neoliberal to radical right winger and back cycle. I’m under no illusion that there is a good chance for a 3rd party to win, but the DNC won’t allow a progressive to win and the candidates they will allow (the wine cave circuit candidates playing identity politics) are uninspiring and will get crushed by charismatic right wing extremists promising change to an electorate desperate for change. Of course their policies are shit and will only make things worse, but when you’re on fire even getting pissed on seems appealing.

^^ Serious question and I’m not defending or justifying the policy but if the incumbent decides to run again, don’t they automatically get the nod? Maybe I’m misremembering which is certainly possible. Also, I don’t know if the DNC has so much power any more or maybe they just consider me too left wing to solicit donations from any more. I just get solicitations from a million different progressive candidates and various splinter groups.

@jca2, thanks, I’m aware that she’s not running. I chose to take the question literally. It did not specify that the answer had to be an announced candidate, so I named my favorite Republican politician.

Anyway, a lot can happen in 10 months. Norm and custom may not define the next election.

I’m not convinced that Biden will be the candidate in 2024. They are making him appear to be the candidate so 45 will keep attacking him. In the end, the DNC will not hesitate to dump him in favor of who they think can win. There are way too many variables at this point for them to make a logical decision. Everybody is assuming that 45 will be the right’s candidate & we might get a pleasant surprise!!! It wasn’t that long ago that everybody was just as convinced that Ron would be the candidate & he self imploded. Maybe it’s wishful hoping, but I can see it happening to 45 as well. The BIG money isn’t following him & I’m seeing minor shifts. Voters are a fickle bunch & although I don’t see it happening, they might turn like a rabid dog at the strangest time.

I’m admiring a Cheney & I can remember when I would have rather died than think of voting for a Cheney. She doesn’t want to be Pres & I don’t blame her. She’s making it her life’s ambition to destroy 45 & I can SUPPORT that goal. She just wants the Republican party back to the way it was before 45 ruined it…A time when everybody respected each other no matter their views!!!

I’m lucky in that I live in a state where I’m NOT limited to which primary I can vote in. I can ONLY vote in one or the other. So, if I decide it is worth my time, I can vote in the Rep primary & vote against 45 & then pray that the Dems use their common sense as I won’t be eligible to vote in the Dem primary. Then I can vote for the Dem candidate no matter who they run in the actual election. In other words, theoretically I can vote against 45 twice!!!

This Q is about strategy. You can look at it two ways. Help put in a Republican who you think will lose to Biden, or help put in a Republican that if they win you aren’t terrified. If you’re lucky that’s one in the same person.

My gut feeling is Trump will not get the nomination, whether Democrats help influence the Republican primary or not, but time will tell. Let’s see how he does in Iowa and New Hampshire.

@Jeruba For the Q my intent was to name someone who is actually running. Funny enough, when Liz broke with the Trump yes men after January 6th, I said that I think she could run for president. My dad thought that was completely ridiculous, but I still say she would have a chance, especially in 2028.

@janbb Are you being cheeky because I say the talking heads on TV copy what I write online? I’ve done some Q’s about that. I received a text from Nikki Haley, and so did a lot of my Democratic friends. She has Koch money behind her, I would expect a ton of marketing is about to happen, especially if she wins Iowa.

I guess Koch sees in her what I see. The first debate I thought for sure Republican women would get behind her. A chance to support a woman, an ethnic minority, she sounded more reasonable on abortion (in my personal opinion she is not) and cares about the budget and sounded very strong on international politics. She comes across to them as very forthright I would think. My “news” was still saying Trump Trump Trump, so they weren’t listening to me then. Lol. I still say DeSantis has a real chance, and my cable news has completely counted him out for months.

I think a lot of Dems like Christie more than Nikki if Biden lost, but Christie might fall out of the race quickly.

@JLeslie No, my comment was not directed at you or anything you’ve said. I just was amused that I had mentioned Nikki Haley on here and an hour later got a text from her campaign.

@janbb Got it. I do think some influencers must read fluther. If not regularly, it at least must come up in their key word searches.

Nobody reads Fluther except for us.

The only ones I could possibly think of would be Christie or Hutchinson, and I don’t even like them. But they were the only ones in the first debate to have the courage to say that they would not support Trump if he were nominated. They all turn my stomach, though. Larry Hogan, who is not running, would be the only Republican I could possibly stomach.

I’m with Jeruba. Liz Cheney. But Republicans won’t vote for her because they are too blinded by their rage about the orange leader. I think she would’ve run but she knew she wouldn’t make it out of the gate. Even the ones who disagreed with Trump feel like she should’ve at least just not said anything about him.

I thought Nikki Haley would be alright but I can’t abide someone willing to offer Trump a pardon, because it will send the wrong message to all future want-to-be dictators that they can be part of a coup and they need not worry. A person will have to draw a line of dignity stick by it and follow the Constitution. She shows her fear by kowtowing to those who want to destroy our nation. In my book that makes her too weak to be a leader. I think Liz will stand for what it right. The rest are in it all for the wrong reasons.

But it doesn’t matter. They will choose Trump even if he shot someone dead on live TV and say it was all fake. Others who say he did do it will cry he’s being treated unfairly and should not be prosecuted. He called it in 2016 when he said he could shoot someone and still get votes. He was right about that. He knew he had a fan club at the least or the beginnings of a cult who will got through the gates of hell for him.
My only hope is that the shine on this crimminal has diminished enough where he won’t win. But the other contenders arent much. I like to think that Haley may at least do her best for the Nation in other matters.And maybe lead her party to a more respectable standing.