Poll for all the non-Republicans

[KateAggie]

Is there a Republican that could run that wouldn't scare the shit out of you? I realize that's a pretty snarky question, but I have yet to see a name mentioned that doesn't get the "hell no, he's/she's batshit crazy/evil/terrifying."

[LoveTrains]

Can you give me some suggestions that I might not know because I live in a very blue area?

So far all the potential candidates that have been discussed scare the shit out of me.

[pixy0stix]

I have no idea.

[laurenpetro]

None that I can think of that have been able to get elected.

[erbear]

I could be on board with John McCain if he ran again, but only if the Dem was someone I could not stomach.

[josieposy]

At the state level, yes.

At the federal level, not at the moment.

It all comes down to the issues. If I see someone who I can get behind on the issues, then I would consider them regardless of party.

[nsl]

A true moderate (and I'm thinking of someone along the lines of Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins) who had the backbone to stand up to the Tea Party crazies would interest me provided they were also vocally supportive of gay marriage and access to safe, legal abortions. I'm not sure there's a national Republican figure right now who fits that bill.

[KateAggie]

Apr 21, 2015 20:05:08 GMT -5 erbear said:

I could be on board with John McCain if he ran again, but only if the Dem was someone I could not stomach.

He's like 90. 90. So you know, heartbeat away and all.

[fortnightlily]

John Huntsman, maybe.

[iammalcolmx]

I am sure there is, I liked McCain at first and was thrilled with the Obama vs McCain thing. H and I actually felt at ease. As long as someone shuts up about abortion and stops acting like they will repeal the ACA it's whatevs for now. Bonus points if you aren't hiding your emails.

[erbear]

Apr 21, 2015 20:06:41 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

Apr 21, 2015 20:05:08 GMT -5 erbear said:

I could be on board with John McCain if he ran again, but only if the Dem was someone I could not stomach.

He's like 90. 90. So you know, heartbeat away and all.

Poor John

No one running is someone I would consider voting for.

Also, wine.

[darthnbjenni]

No, I can't think of anyone at the national level. But I routinely vote for Republicans here in SC. Mainly, I vote for the RINO candidates so the crazy Tea Party nut-jobs won't win. Most elected positions have multiple R candidates, and not a single D.

[FloFTW]

I don't know. I feel like Republicans have made it impossible for a moderate to win the nomination therefore I can't trust that they wouldnt change their moderate views along the way.

[spaghettisquash]

Apr 21, 2015 20:07:56 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

John Huntsman, maybe.

This is who I thought of. He's pro civil unions, in favor of environmental reforms and has expertise in foreign affairs. I just hate his abortion policies. 

[cattledogkisses]

I like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and I've voted for them at the state level.

At the national level, there's no one that I know of right now.

[secretlyevil]

Honestly, I haven't seen one yet. Jeb was pretty moderate when he was governor but I wasn't thrilled with him.

[mouse]

I'm borderline socialist, so I probably wouldn't vote for any of them. I thought our Senator Gordon Smith seemed like a decent, non-scary human being for the most part (even if his actions on Death With Dignity pissed me right off). If it was between him and Kang and/or Kondos, I'd probably vote for him.

[darnkatz]

I cannot think of anyone.

[penguingrrl]

I have a few key issues that I would need to align with them on (abortion, environment, gun control and LGBT rights). If they were moderate on those issues then I would absolutely look further.

That said, I also generally disagree with the fiscal policies I have seen brought forth by R candidates, so it's unlikely their priorities will align with mine on social or fiscal issues.

I liked Romney and felt he was a decent moderate, but going up on a national platform changed him a lot and I lost a lot of respect for him as a result. I still have no idea whether MA gov Romney was the "real" Romney or he just acted moderate to get a foot in the door then let his true colors show on the national stage.

[msmerymac]

Yeah, Olympia Snowe.

I'd be somewhat okay with PP's suggestion of Huntsman. Kasich has said a few things that were marginally okay, and made it seem like he would cross the aisle and be open to compromise over strict ideology, but I'm sure I'm missing something, since many people in Ohio don't love him, to say the least.

Granted, a Dem or Green will almost always have the edge for me, assuming they have the traditional party line beliefs about major issues. A Rep could branch out and be perhaps pro-choice, pro-environment, etc, and maybe concentrate on more fiscally conservative goals, which wouldn't necessarily be terrible. However, I'm not a fiscal conservative. I'm okay with running a deficit when needed, and I believe in the role of government when it comes to funding social welfare programs, so I'm not pro-conservative spending either.

So yeah, a liberal will always come out on top for me, ideologically. But I won't say there aren't Reps I could live with.

And specifically, when it comes to local issues, never say never. I might very well agree with a Republican on a local platform, and that would be fine.

[FloFTW]

So, locally I always liked ("liked") Steve LaTourette. He was a rep in the area for a long time, and now operates a Super Pac that seeks to curb the impact of the Tea Party.

talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/defending-main-street-republicans

[StrawberryBlondie]

I like John Huntsman.

[cattledogkisses]

I liked John Hunstman until I learned he was anti-choice. I will never vote for someone with that belief.

[UMaineTeach]

Apr 21, 2015 20:18:27 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

I like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and I've voted for them at the state level.

At the national level, there's no one that I know of right now.

agreed
I have voted for both Collins and Snowe. I also this that despite our bag of dicks Gov. the legislature is doing really well and none of the R's are offending me and everyone seems to be calm and rational.

I don't think I can support anyone who is 100% tied to the R platform and sees no room for compromise. Specifically, social issues.

I do enjoy this blog for reading an R perspective without all the crazy and hyperbole. hesaidshesaid.bangordailynews.com/

[MeMyselfandI]

No. Even the ones that I tolerated and even voted for locally have gone bat shit.

[lilibet]

There isn't anyone that I'm aware of. I agree with the pps who said that often the ones who I may have been ok with get out in the mainstream and start pandering to the conservatives.

And I also could never vote for someone who wasn't pro choice.

[tacosforlife]

Nobody I can think of whose name has been mentioned in connection with the current presidential election.

Generally: Olympia Snowe,Susan Collins, Dick Lugar, Lisa Murkowski, Kay Bailey Hutchison, (formerly R) Arlen Specter - aka people who don't oppose things like abortion rights and pay equality laws. (I think Lugar is officially anti-abortion, but I don recall him ever focusing on it.) I know you,KateAggie, and other Republicans/conservatives have talked about the economy being your number 1 issue. But what good is the economy if I don't have a legal right to equal pay or the autonomy to control my own body? Just my take.

[NewOrleans]

I loved what I saw of Jon Huntsman. I genuinely wanted to hear more from him. But he wasn't extreme enough.

Kay Bailey Hutchison maybe? I sometimes confuse her with Olympia Snowe. One of them I remember feeling was sort of spotty on civil rights and had voted for the stimulus so I was  :^) at her, but I did not understand her full reasoning, I suppose, and I can disagree without resentment or dread.  Which is precious little enough with what's coming out if the Right this past decade.

[ESF]

NO.

Not in this election cycle.

Not until there is some major reckoning.

Honestly, it has nothing to do with the candidate. That person could be a saint. But as long as the GOP is what it is, I absolutely will not vote to give any one of them power in any election, let alone the presidential one. I just do not believe the Republican Party is actually interested in governing in a serious, adult way.   I don't believe they are a legitimate political party. 

People who take their elected power seriously are not using urban legends to drive legislation and policies. They don't waste time banning food stamp recipients from spending money on cruise ships. Or waste taxpayer dollars on a witch hunt to drug test poor people. 

People who take their elected power seriously are not forcing doctors to spew lies to women about what abortion does and doesn't do, and whether it is reversible or not. They don't force doctors to retraumatize rape victims by shoving cameras up their vaginas against their will just so they don't have to spend a lifetime traumatized by their rapist's baby.

They don't call rape babies "gifts." Gifts! They don't say rape can be "beautiful." BEAUTIFUL, OK?  NO. 

People who take their elected power seriously do not say things like "legitimate rape" or "forceable rape."  They do not deny that rape happens. They don't spread lies about how rape victims don't get pregnant.

They don't put science deniers on environmental committees.

They don't put anti-vaxxers on health committees.

They don't they sit around figuring out how to criminalize the use of public bathrooms by transgendered people.

They don't use "religious freedom" as a rallying cry for homophobia. 

They don't proudly display the confederate flag.  They sure as shit don't sit around debating whether Confederate Heroes Day should still be a fucking state holiday because holy shit, why was it ever fucking there?!?

They acknowledge that racism actually still happens in America today.

And for the love of all things holy and sacred, 

THEY DO NOT WRITE TO TERRORISTS TO TELL THEM THAT OUR PRESIDENT IS ILLEGITIMATE.  

The people I want to vote for are people that want all Americans voting for them.  They know they can win without cheating. They do not have to passing photo ID voting requirements, they don't playfast and loose with voter registration requirements and early voting rules, and they support making voting as easy and efficient as possible for as many citizens.  

This is why I find the Republican Party a disgusting cesspool. I don't actually give a shit what their policies are at this point.  I'm talking about the fact that they deny facts and science, rewrite history, and just govern in a belligerent, hateful manner.   Then vote suppress.

A republican who got up and said, "Look, I support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, equal pay legislation, gay marriage, student loan reform, campaign finance reform, the ACA and abortion" would still not get my vote until s/he got up and condemned the racist, sexist, anti-democratic, hateful, and shameful behavior of the party.

[LoveTrains]

ESF I need a cigarette after reading that.