Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse declared Sunday night in an open letter to his fellow Republicans: "I cannot support Donald Trump." He is the first GOP senator to make such a commitment and potentially the initial break in a dam holding back slightly saner Republicans who don't want to turn their party or the nation over to a mad man. Here’s Sasse:
I do not claim to speak for a movement, but I suspect I am far from alone. After listening to Nebraskans in recent weeks, and talking to a great many people who take oaths seriously, I think many are in the same place.
Sasse said that if faced with the choice between voting for Trump or Hillary Clinton, he would choose "neither of them" and instead "look for some third candidate." He skewered Trump’s commitment to actually being a public servant (versus a self-aggrandizing egomaniac) and his basic understanding of the First Amendment and the U.S. Constitution.
Mr. Trump’s relentless focus is on dividing Americans, and on tearing down rather than building back up this glorious nation. Much like President Obama, he displays essentially no understanding of the fact that, in the American system, we have a constitutional system of checks and balances, with three separate but co-equal branches of government. And the task of public officials is to be public “servants.” The law is king, and the people are boss. But have you noticed how Mr. Trump uses the word “Reign” – like he thinks he’s running for King? It’s creepy, actually.
Creepy, absolutely. But the comparison between Obama, a constitutional law scholar, and Trump, a reality TV star, not so much. Still, as a rhetorical mechanism to sway his fellow conservatives, there's no greater insult than comparing a GOP candidate to President Obama.
Sasse is actually not the only Republican to pledge to withhold support from Trump. Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo, for instance, said last week he would not vote for Trump: "I have left ballots blank in the past." But Sasse is among the highest profile of defections thus far from GOP elected officials and done in the highest profile manner. This could signal the opening of the flood gates.
But the rest of the GOP won't allow a Supreme Court vote so they can keep the vacancy open for Trump? Screw that noise—donate $3 to turn the Senate blue!