In 2016, Carly Fiorina faced President Trump as one of the Republican presidential candidates looking to take back the White House. As the only woman in a crowded field, she stood out not only for her gender but also for her ability to maintain her own against an unprecedented political foe. Anyone who followed the 2016 election cycle will remember that Trump mocked Fiorina’s appearance. When the next debate came, he apologized on camera to an unenthused Fiorina. In the end, Fiorina voted for Trump, despite any personal issues she may have had with him.
But times have changed.
During an interview this week with the Atlantic, Fiorina expressed her willingness to vote for Joe Biden in November. She described the Election Day decision as a “binary choice,” one in which she cannot and will not support the Republican on the ballot. As a disgruntled former candidate who has been publicly shamed by Trump, Fiorina’s choice seems to make sense at first glance. But as a pro-life Republican, it does not.
In the interview, when asked about Biden’s stance as an abortion supporter and how it conflicted with her views, Fiorina said: “We’re not making progress. And so let’s focus on making progress where people agree and actually solving a problem of abortion after five months.” When reminded that Biden has supported more access to abortion, she replied: “I think this is a great example of an opportunity to lead rather than just playing politics. He could do that. He could lead. He could problem-solve. He could find common ground on a bipartisan basis.”
Fiorina assumes that Biden, who wants to codify Roe v. Wade and has flipped his position on the Hyde Amendment to now support taxpayer funding for abortion, might bend on abortion. This is nothing but wishful thinking.
There is little doubt that Trump’s words and actions in the past four years have often been cringeworthy. His sometimes shocking behavior is well documented. For Fiorina and other disaffected Republicans, this is enough to not only withhold support from Trump but actively endorse his presumptive Democratic Party opponent. That defiance may feel good considering their frustrations, but it goes directly against the conservative values they claim to hold dear.
Out of all the 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates, Biden is the least threatening. The elderly statesman exists to the right of far-left candidates such as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg. This normalcy makes him more palatable to frustrated members of the electorate. However, existing to the right of these politicians only makes you slightly less extreme. In no way does it mean you are worthy of being supported by those on the right side of the aisle who are looking for an alternative to a blustering populist. Despite Biden’s more mainstream views, he represents a political party that continues to lurch further to the left. The radical nature of today’s Democratic Party remains evident no matter how “old school” its chosen nominee seems to be.
It’s worth noting that more well-known Republicans are so discontent with the Trump administration that they have declared their inability to vote for the GOP incumbent this fall. In most cases, these choices seem to be based on character rather than policy. They may fall in line with Trump on the issues but believe he lacks the integrity and compassion necessary to lead a nation. Still others, such as former national security adviser John Bolton, will vote for neither man. Regardless of who wins the November contest, it is essential that he is held accountable for his words and actions. Too often, the party faithful on either side fails to do this.
Saving the Republican Party from itself by voting for an abortion-supporting, illiberal Democrat makes no sense in either the short term or long term. It is one thing to say that Trump is undeserving of your personal vote. It is another thing entirely to gift that vote to someone who reflects none of the established political principles you embrace. Doing the latter doesn’t improve the Republican Party in any way. Instead, it has the potential to make stronger its main opponent and, by doing so, cause a repeat of what led to Trump’s prominence in the first place.
Addressing and working to remove unacceptable attitudes so prevalent within the current GOP are worthy missions, as the party needs to improve. But this doesn’t require casting a vote for a Democratic opponent, a move that would only usher in an entirely new set of problems.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
