With the 2020 election season now well underway and Bernie Sanders the early Democratic leader, voters are faced with the possibility of choosing between two extremely polarizing options come election day. At the start of his presidency, President Trump was clear about his desire to pursue a second term in 2020. Though other Republicans, such as Bill Weld and Joe Walsh, tried to launch a challenge, there was never any legitimate threat to the Trump campaign and his popularity within the GOP as a whole.
The prospect of a self-described socialist taking the country’s reins is enough to quell concerns one may have about the president. In 2016, rejecting Hillary Clinton had much to do with her dynastic name and sordid political past. Four years later, the collective contempt is aimed at a man who desires to change the fabric of the nation in fundamental ways. Bernie Sanders’s policies frighten those on the Right, on the Left, and in the middle. Among those on his side, the fear is that his extremism may push voters to Trump in a general election matchup. For those on the Right, the desire to stop a socialist from winning outweighs their feelings, positive or negative, toward Trump. This is hardly surprising.
Though Democrats would love to pass Sen. Bernie Sanders off as a somewhat harmless, less-than-radical curmudgeon, the truth is that he represents the worst that Democrats could possibly offer. His far-left platform on its own is enough to turn voters of all stripes away. The plan to reject Sanders takes care of itself. Asking voters to then embrace Trump is another process entirely.
In the eyes of the right-leaning Never Trump crowd, voting for Trump is simply unthinkable. His bad behavior, online and off, questionable political and personal associates, penchant for insults and lies, and checkered past are enough to keep them from casting a vote in his favor. But still, with all the baggage that he brings, it’s very easy to understand why some will go through with the mechanics of voting for the president if only to declare their dislike of his possible opponent, Bernie Sanders. If more Republicans were honest about the president and his flaws, the GOP might actually add to its ranks.
There remains a tendency to view the president continuously through rose-colored glasses simply because he is not the enemy. His desires for a strong economy, low unemployment, and strong national defense have been realized, and voters have noticed. But along with positives have come negatives too.
Those should also be addressed. Republicans would do well to admit that the president is an imperfect leader who has made mistakes and, because he’s human, will continue to do so in the future. This may resonate with those who only see unending, unbalanced praise from the party. For example, the Mueller investigation didn’t uncover criminal conduct, but it did reveal less-than-stellar behavior on the part of the president and his associates. Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which precipitated the impeachment process, wasn’t as perfect as he claimed.
Insulting Washington legislators may garner likes and retweets, but it’s unbecoming of the president of the United States. And when it comes to ridiculing his Democratic opponents, there is plenty of substance to use. No need for superficial slights.
Right now, the message from the GOP seems to be that Trump can do no wrong. But as we’ve seen, that’s not true. Like all those who have gone before, he is a flawed leader, both personally and politically. That many believe he is a better alternative to Sanders doesn’t absolve him of his own mistakes. The Republican Party would do well to admit this instead of treating Trump as a spotless leader who should never be criticized.
Voting for Trump instead of Sanders is an understandable choice. The frustration comes when Republicans treat the incumbent as faultless. Being honest about the president’s character would do much to strengthen the party’s message heading into November and just might solidify support from those who are reluctant.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
