“Never Trump” Conservatives Will Need to be strategic voters in 2020
Despite it seeming like an eternity of campaigning already, We are less than a month out from the beginning of primary voting. Local, State, Federal, and Presidential candidates are all on the ballot in each and every county. At the time of publication, most of the candidates are either running as progressives or as Trumpist Republicans. For center-right or even center-left voters, exercising one’s vote effectively in your region will require a bit more forethought than usual.
There’s a few issues facing non-Trump conservatives. First off, it’s an unfortunate reality that we are the smallest voting block in the country. Moreover, we’re without a natural political coalition. Since 2016, most center-right voters have voluntarily left the GOP, been voted out, or been excised and shunned for their refusal to bend the knee to Trump. The Trump voters by and large don’t want us back.
Of course, the Democratic grassroots doesn’t want us either. They’re already trying to wrest power from the center-left that has largely controlled the party since the Clinton era, and are actively looking to push the party to a more progressive coalition. As such, the Never Trump type of voter is not their natural ally. Finally, many Never Trump voters are relishing their newfound independence, and are reluctant to join another party after the trauma of 2016.
If we want to have a future as a political ideology and coalition, however, we need to decide how to spend our limited political capital this cycle to set ourselves up for future success. For instance, should we coalesce around independents such as Justin Amash? Justin Amash is one of the few nationwide figures that is a natural ally for a non-Trump conservative. By supporting him through a reelection process, one can show that it’s safe for a like minded conservative to buck the Trump line and still be reelected. It could encourage a Mia Love or Will Hurd to follow suit.
The obvious problem, of course, is that not every district has a Justin Amash type to support. Your choice might be between a Trump toadie or a Democrat. What do you do then? That prudential judgement should largely be left to the voter. Is there a center left Democrat who won’t go too far left and serve as a rebuke to the GOP? Check if you live in a Romney-Clinton district, or a place where Republicans lost significant margins in 2018. Your vote could make a difference in your local elections as a result. Is there a GOP candidate in your primary process who is open about rebuking Trumpism? Give him the support he’ll need to fight the state party apparatus and get elected. You might even be lucky and have a district that supports independent bids for office.
However, many people live in a deep red or deep blue state that will certainly vote for Trump or the democratic nominee. How can you make your voice heard then? This is where it’s pivotal to find your allies in your region. Look for a local Principles First, National Republican, or Lincoln Project group to ally with. It’s pivotal to show up with them at your grassroots meetings. If you aren’t in the room where things are being discussed at the grassroots, where the block walkers and petition signers and party convention attendees are, your views will never, ever be considered on the local level. These are the people that are largely the Trump base. They are why people such as Nikki Haley and Rubio have bent the knee. To make a difference, you will need politically active allies who will second or third your motion to be heard at the monthly meeting to provide dissension and alternatives.
Most importantly, however, we need to support our fellow center-left and center-right allies regardless of their voting choice. As the smallest and most regionally disparate group of voters, our options are limited. As pointed out at The Dispatch, we can’t fall to the “True Scotsman” fallacy if we’re to survive into future electoral cycles. We need to pick and choose our battles, and voting purity tests is the surest way to disintegrate into factionalization. Just look at the Libertarian party and their perennial ineffectiveness due to ideological purity.
Trumpism doesn’t have to be the future of conservatism. Cults of personality can fall apart. However, there needs to be thought leaders, activists, and representatives who can provide a credible alternative come 2020 and 2024, otherwise Don Jr., Mike Pence, and the like will just continue the Trump Train. If we don’t have national faces in congress, state senates, mayorships, or governorships, we won’t be ready to move forward when Trump is defeated. Let’s be prepared to meet the moment when it arrives.
Christian Thrailkill is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, musician, and columnist. He lives in Dallas, Texas. Follow him on Twitter @Wolvie616
