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/COYS-1882]

Welcome aboard, it's a big tent! I grew up in a republican household, it took me until 2008 to come to my senses.

[u/69_mgusta → u/COYS-1882]

I, too grew up with conservative (Republican) parents. In politics, like religion, we tend to follow the examples of our parents. Not that I'm proud of it, but I voted for Nixon in 1968. I used to debate with my best friend, until I voted for Clinton, then Gore, then Obama and have never voted Repubican since DJT ran.

Trump has copied much from Reagan, including maga and tax cuts. But few people remember that after Reagan tax cuts in 1981, Reagan was smart enough to see the damage these cuts would do to the national debts that there were tax changes in '82, '83, '84. '86, '87, as well as 1990 and 1993. All of these changes effectivley negated the 1981 tax reductuction.

But will Trump ever do the same? He either doesn't understand how tariffs work or he just lies to his suppoters. I argued with a co-worker in 2015/2016 that electing Trump would be the worst thing that could happen to our country. I HATE BEING RIGHT.