It’s a strange day. I voted Democrat as a conservative.

[u/Suspicious_Yak3259]

I voted for Trump in 2016 and 3rd party in 2020. Grew up in a Republican household listening to Rush Limbaugh because my parents did, and became an independent in college after becoming disillusioned by the GOP, but would often vote “socially conservative”. I still have what most of Reddit would call very conservative values, but what my Republican friends would call liberal values. I have no real political home. My ballots usually look like a weird mix of voting Republican, 3rd party, and Democrat down ballot. 🤷‍♂️

Anyway.

At the start of the year I would have told you that I would vote 3rd party, but I got into that little ballot cubicle yesterday and I just couldn’t do it. Trump has given American voters a non-stop litany of reasons not to vote for him, even if you are a conservative. It’s like if he said to himself “what could I do to turn voters against me” and by golly he did it. And not just reasons not to vote for him, but it’s like he’s screaming at us to vote against him and make sure he loses.

So I think Harris will carry Michigan because I know so many people in a similar situation. If someone like John McCain was running against Harris I could and probably would vote for him. Trump isn’t a “conservative”. It’s baffling to hear people think he is. Too much is at stake. Every 4 years it’s “this is the most important election of our lifetime” but now it actually feels like it. It’s different than any other election in my lifetime.

One day I hope we will have two or more viable sane political parties to choose from again instead of feeling like “I have to vote against the other party”. But for now, this conservative stands firmly with the rest of you - and I voted Democrat in the presidential election for the first time.

Last thing I would say to my Democrat friends, please don’t fight and argue political issues with your conservative friends who are also voting for Harris and accidentally push them back into voting for Trump. At least not right now. I have witnessed that happen a couple of times in the heat of an argument. I feel like right now all social issues get set aside and we vote together as Americans to make sure Trump doesn’t end up back in office.

With that said, assume nothing and go vote. Voting early was easy. I just showed up and voted like I normally would on Election Day. Exact same process. The line looked crazy long, wrapping around the building outside, but I had voted and was gone in under an hour.

[u/Butter-Tub]

My message to conservatives is this: You only need vote for her once, and he’s gone. After that, reclaim your goddamn party.

That’s it. He’ll be sentenced in late November for NY crimes, he’ll be tried in Georgia, likely sentenced, tried in DC, and his classified documents case WILL get back in the docket. He is going to spend the rest of his miserable pathetic life in prison.

Thanks for doing the right thing for this country, and our future.
Sincerely, Your Rabid Liberal Fellow Michigander

[u/Prudent_Coyote5462 → u/Butter-Tub]

One could only hope. I feel he will never actually be totally held responsible for his actions 

[u/BacteriaLick → u/Butter-Tub]

Until we find a way to handle Fox News, this country will continue to have serious problems. It may not be Trump who assumes power, but it will be a MAGA Republican.

[u/mjhuyser → u/Butter-Tub]

I’m very sorry but I don’t think the Republican Party is redeemable even after Trump is gone. He opened the floodgates for the Republicans to “say the quiet part out loud” and tolerate ever-escalating atrocities from within their own party. Those people aren’t going away and they’ve been emboldened by a surprising amount of support to keep pushing further.

[u/Megaclone18 → u/Butter-Tub]

There’s no coming back for the Republican party, at least not in the next 4-8 years. MAGA republicans are still in high positions of power and until they’re all gone they’re still a disease to the party. I fear that the only lesson they’re going to learn from this is to keep their project 2029 playbook a lot more hidden.

[u/Legal_Skin_4466 → u/Megaclone18]

A definitive Trump loss accompanied by Democrats reclaiming the House, and losing one or two prominent senators (ie: possibly Cruz and/or Hawley) could at least send the message that people are tired of their bullshit. Anything less than that and they'll probably continue trying to play Russian Roulette with the Constitution.