There is now a whole generation that came of age during the Trump era. For them, the Republican Party has become synonymous with Donald Trump. They see bitter tribal warfare and partisan acrimony as the normal state of affairs. And they don’t remember a time when Democrats and Republicans could disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.
I know, because this is my generation.
My first vote in a presidential election was for Donald Trump in 2020. I am a proud conservative and share many of the core values that the GOP has long stood for: low taxes, a business-friendly regulatory climate and the sanctity of life. I had seen much to admire in President Trump’s first term, even though I was alarmed by his personal conduct. I lived by the mantra, “Ignore the tweets.”
This led me to vote for what I viewed as the lesser of two evils in 2020. Then came Trump’s refusal to accept his defeat, lies about the election being stolen and the shameful and unprecedented violence on Jan. 6, 2021. This was, for me, a red line. My generation may not have grown up with “normal” politics of the Obama-versus-Romney variety, but the spectacle of violent insurrectionists attacking the Capitol was a bridge too far.
My immediate reaction was, to quote South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s remarks that horrible day: “Count me out. Enough is enough.” (Except, unlike Graham, I actually meant it.) I watched as the party continued to rally around Trump’s lies and excuse-making in the days after Jan. 6. Where I had expected a wholesale backing away from the Big Lie and the violence it wrought, instead people became even more defensive of Trump — people I knew personally.
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And now, as Trump is finally set to face consequences for his attempt to obstruct the election, these same partisan actors are echoing the former president’s claim that he is entitled to “absolute immunity” for all actions committed as president. Carried to its logical conclusion, as Trump’s legal team has admitted, this would allow a president to order the assassination of his political rival without consequences.
Looking around, with all this going on, it’s easy to become immune to the daily deluge of lies and half-truths swirling in service to Trump’s ego. My generation is steeped in social media, where finding reliable news and information is like drinking from a firehose. But nothing about the Trumpian assault on democracy is normal, nor should it be.
I was 6 when John McCain ran for president, and 10 when Mitt Romney did. I may not have been able to vote for them, but I know that the values they represented are a lot closer to mine — and a lot closer to the true meaning of conservatism — than Trump’s are.
None of this is meant to exculpate Joe Biden from blame for his missteps. Much of his agenda is as anti-conservative as it comes. The withdrawal from Afghanistan is a blow to America’s credibility in the world, and much of his economic agenda has worsened inflation. In addition, his student loan forgiveness policy was made in open defiance of the Supreme Court and stands as an obvious pander to the younger generation of voters. These are among the many reasons I will not be supporting President Biden’s bid for re-election.
But neither can I support Donald Trump. I recognize that, for many Republicans, this isn’t an easy call. It can be hard to switch “teams” and during peak election season, when doing so feels like a partial abandonment of these values. Doing so alone is even more difficult.
That’s why I’m taking part in Republican Voters Against Trump (RVAT), a nationwide campaign that features former Trump voters who won’t be supporting him in November, and amplifies their voices across the country. We aren’t all united in our views of the best way forward, but we are united in thinking he is uniquely unqualified to be president again.
My generation may have grown up during a time of peak political instability and democratic decline, but that doesn’t mean we’re destined to be saddled with this same dynamic forever. I look forward to being able to vote for a strong, principled, conservative candidate for president in the future. But it won’t be in 2024.
Sam Jardine is a college student in Provo.
Sam Jardine is a college student in Provo and a participant in Republican Voters Against Trump, a nationwide campaign of former Trump voters who are not supporting him in 2024. You can watch his testimonial here.
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