Republican Politicians Who Won’t Support Trump

Here’s Your Full List of Republican Politicians Who Won’t Support Trump
AP Photo/Mary AltafferAP Photo/Mary Altaffer
BY: AARON BANDLER JUNE 9, 2016

Yet another Republican politician has announced that he will not support real estate mogul Donald Trump.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) told The Detroit News editorial board that he was going to continue to stay out of the presidential race and instead focus on the Michigan House of Representatives.

“When I look at the upcoming election in November, my biggest issue is hopefully reelecting the [Michigan] House, because I think that’s important,” Snyder said. “We’ve had a great partnership there, and I think it’d be great to continue that.”

Here’s your full list of Republican politicians who won’t support Trump.

OHIO GOV. JOHN KASICH: When asked if he would endorse Trump, Kasich responded, “Why would I feel compelled to support someone whose positions I kind of fundamentally disagree with?”

MASSACHUSETTS GOV. CHARLIE BAKER: Back in May, Baker said, “Some of the things he said about women and about Muslims and about religious freedom, I just can’t support.”

SEN. BEN SASSE (R-NE): The freshman senator has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump, writing letters such as this one on Facebook where he declared, “There is no reason to believe that either of these two national frontrunners believe in limiting anything about DC’s power.”

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Graham has reached the point where he is calling on his colleagues to rescind their endorsements of Trump, telling The New York Times with regard to Trump’s “Mexican” comment, “If anybody was looking for an off-ramp, this is probably it.”

FORMER GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE MITT ROMNEY: Romney, who became one of the de-facto faces of the #NeverTrump movement, said at an awards gala, “I don’t intend on supporting either of the major party candidates at this point.”

THE BUSHES: FORMER FLORIDA GOV. JEB BUSH (R) and former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have all said they will not support Trump in November.

SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R-AZ): In an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Flake said, “I hope to be able to support the [Republican] nominee. I certainly can’t right now.”

SEN. MARK KIRK (R-IL): Kirk actually endorsed Trump, and then un-endorsed after his “Mexican” comment toward a federal judge, saying in a statement: “While I oppose the Democratic nominee, Donald Trump’s latest statements, in context with past attacks on Hispanics, women and the disabled like me, make it certain that I cannot and will not support my party’s nominee for President regardless of the political impact on my candidacy or the Republican Party.”

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): Collins told Time magazine, “I’ve said from the point that it became obvious that Donald Trump was going to be the Republican candidate that I’d always supported previous presidential nominees of my party but that in this case I was going to wait and see what happened and that is what I am continuing to do.”

SEN. DEAN HELLER (R-NV): Heller refused to commit to an endorsement of Trump, telling the Las Vegas Sun, “I just can’t agree with some of his positions.” He also said that none of the above is an option on the Nevada ballot.

SEN. MIKE LEE (R-UT): Lee hasn’t said if he will support Trump or not, but he did say that Trump “scares [him] to death,” which isn’t exactly a signal of a pending endorsement.

REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R-FL): She said in a statement, “In this election, I do not support either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.”

REP. BOB DOLD (R-IL): In a radio interview, Dold announced: “For me, I will not support Donald Trump. Certainly I think there are others that have some pretty significant reservations. We saw that yesterday with Speaker Ryan, with Bruce Rauner and we’re seeing that with folks around the country.”

SEN. PAT TOOMEY (R-PA): Toomey won’t commit to an endorsement yet, saying in a radio interview, “I’m not there right now and I hope we don’t get to a point where I decide I just can’t support him.”

ILLINOIS GOV. BRUCE RAUNER (R): According to the Associated Press, Rauner’s aides have said that the governor won’t endorse Trump. In a statement, Rauner said he was “disgusted” by Trump’s “Mexican” comments and that they “do not reflect the values of America.”

REP. CARLOS CURBELO (R-FL): Curbelo told the Miami Herald in an email, “I have no plans of supporting either of the presumptive nominees.”

REP. JUSTIN AMASH (R-MI): Amash told The Detroit News that Trump will not receive his support.

REP. MARK SANFORD (R-SC): Sanford told The Wall Street Journal, “Not that political views mean anything in this year, but because I believe in constitutionally limited government, his candidacy is one I certainly can’t support.”

REP. SCOTT RIGGEL (R-VA): Riggel wrote in an email to his supporters, “Trump is a bully, unworthy of our nomination. My love of our country eclipse my loyalty to our party, and to live with a clear conscience I will not support a nominee so lacking in the judgment, temperament and character needed to be our commander-in-chief. Accordingly, if left with no alternative, I will not support Trump in the general election should be become our Republican nominee.”

REP. REID RIBBLE (R-WI): Ribble announced in December that he would never support Trump, saying, “He’s continued to be, in my opinion, against the civil discourse that I so deeply believe in, that would allow us to have a real live debate on the issues that are important to this country.”

REP. MARK HANNA (R-NY): Hanna told Syracuse.com that he can’t support Trump because “I want someone to be president that my children can look up to.”

MARYLAND GOV. LARRY HOGAN (R): Hogan simply said, “I have nothing to do with Donald Trump.”

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Cruz said on Wednesday that “time will tell” if he will eventually support Trump, but this suggests he probably won’t:

MAJOR PROPS TO EACH – GRATITUDE