As November's presidential election approaches, some Republicans who had vowed not to support former President Donald Trump again are reconsidering their stance, arguing they can't afford another Joe Biden term.
Ahead of the Republican primary, several Trump-averse GOP members leaned toward Nikki Haley. However, her withdrawal from the Republican nomination race is forcing several Republicans to rethink their votes.
Eric Levine, a former Nikki Haley supporter and prominent Republican fundraiser, is one of those who said he would not support Trump again. However, he recently backtracked and explained that if he has to choose between Biden and the former president, he will opt for Trump.
"I am left with no alternative (...)The question becomes: as between the two, who will leave a better, safer, and more prosperous America for my grandchildren? Hands down, the answer is Trump," he said.
NEWS —
Eric Levine, a prominent GOP fundraiser in New York for Nikki Haley who pledged to never vote for Trump after Jan. 6, just sent an email to his network that I have seen.
"Due to a dramatic change in circumstances ... I have decided I will vote for Trump in November."… pic.twitter.com/srvTXPmBxr
— Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) March 29, 2024
New Hampshire's Republican governor, Chris Sununu, who also endorsed Haley before the primary and launched several criticisms toward Trump, raised eyebrows in March when he announced he would vote for the former president.
"People will go to Trump because Biden has blown it that bad for himself and his party," he explained.
Marlys Popma, a prominent Republican activist from Iowa, is another party member who considered voting for Haley, but now that she's out of the race, she opted to back Trump.
According to Republican strategist John Feehery, the decision of many party members who assured that they would never vote for the former president again could change. He explained that this will depend on their dissatisfaction with Biden's policies.
Doug Heye, another Republican strategist, assured that it is common for these types of changes to occur after the primaries and shared that in campaigns, this is usually called "going home."
"I think as we get closer to the election (...) I believe most anti-Trump voters from the primaries will end up supporting Trump," Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Polling Center, added.
However, some Republican strategists still believe that a significant number of people could abstain from voting in the elections or even opt for a third party, so the political landscape remains uncertain.
