One thing Marco Rubio supporters had in common: They were fiercely anti-Trump. With Rubio out of the race, many find themselves in the difficult position of trying to find a new candidate they can stomach.
Jillian Dunker a 19-year-old Iowa State University student and Rubio supporter put it like this: “I’d support a third party candidate, and maybe even a Democrat before I support Trump.”
Jillian said she would choose Cruz in the general election, even though she isn’t a fan.
Rubio’s statement about Cruz being the only conservative left in the race may push some of his supporters over to the Texas senator, yet, others may choose John Kasich as their second choice.
Benjamin Janicki, a recent University of Washington graduate, said that he is now leaning toward Kasich over the other GOP candidates because the Ohio governor is “definitely the most electable.”
However, Janicki said he hasn’t made his mind up yet — Washington doesn’t hold its primary until May 24.
“I need to be strategic,” he said. “If [Kasich] starts catching up with Cruz, then I’ll vote for him in Washington. I don’t think Cruz is a lot more electable than Trump, but he’s less toxic than Trump is for the party image.”
All the while, time is passing and the Republican Party is still split, not only along generational lines, but split every which way. Some are worried it is too late to unite the party under one candidate.
Dartmouth student and Rubio supporter Abraham Herrera said, “a Trump or Hillary presidency scares me; who knows whether it’ll be too late to try and make things right come 2020.”
Abraham said he would vote for Cruz if he was the nominee, but would expect Cruz to lose in a general election. Along with many young Republican voters, Abraham agreed, “If Trump wins the nomination, I’ll vote third party.”
Overall, it seems most young Rubio supporters are unsure which candidate to support now. Whomever they choose to vote for in the upcoming primaries or general, the overall goal for most is to nominate the candidate who can beat the Democrats in the general, and if that candidate is Trump they may vote third party, or not at all.
