Lindsey Graham and Mark Kirk provide a lifeline to Republicans stranded on the Trump ship
Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) provided a lifeline to Republicans who want to jump off the Donald Trump ship before it fully submerges into the deep depths of political abyss.
Graham and Kirk said that they won’t vote for the Republican Party’s arch nemesis, Hillary Clinton, or their troubled spawn, Donald Trump.
Two weeks ago, Graham told MSNBC, “I will write somebody in but I’m not supporting Mr. Trump. I’m not supporting Hillary Clinton. These are two very flawed choices.”
Graham, however, didn’t stop there. The senator was so disgusted by Trump’s comments that he questioned the integrity of Republicans who continue to support a man who Graham believes reached the bottom of the barrel when he decided to use racial overtones when talking about Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel.
Graham said, “It’s a new low in a campaign with plenty lows. I think it’s un-American. I think it runs against who we are as a people and I’ll have no part of it. And if you’re comfortable with that kind of rhetoric, it says more about you than it does me.”
As for Sen. Kirk, he went to twitter to express his dissatisfaction. Kirk tweeted, “While I oppose the Democratic nominee, Donald Trump’s latest statement, in context with past attacks on Hispanics, women and the disabled like me, make it certain that I cannot and will not support my party’s nominee for the president regardless of the political impact on my candidacy or the Republican Party.”
Both senators comments came after Trump refused to stop bad mouthing Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel for being of Mexican descent.
Curiel is the presiding judge in a class action lawsuit against the now defunct Trump University. During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Trump told Tapper that Curiel's Mexican ancestry should be grounds for him to be removed from the Trump University case: "This judge is given us unfair rulings. Now I say why. Well, I’m building a wall, ok. And it’s a wall between Mexico, not another country. He’s Mexican, Mexican heritage, and he’s very proud of it."
Trump’s comment led to everyone from the former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denouncing Trump’s comments.
Gingrich said the comments were “inexcusable.” Ryan said that Trump comments were “textbook racists,” while McConnell called on Trump to focus on the issues and not the federal judge.
For his part, Trump wouldn’t let up and he allegedly told his staffers to hit back in full force against the judge and those who criticized him. In the end, Trump decided that it was best not to continue attacking the judge and to instead focus his attention on Hillary Clinton.
Unfortunately for Trump, his verbal attack on the judge was too much for some within the Republican Party to bear. Former Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney appeared on CNN’s “The Situation Room” on June 10, 2016.
Romney told host Wolf Blitzer that Trump’s comments amounted to “trickled down racism” and that he would be writing in a candidate when he votes this November.
And last Thursday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ( R ) decided to take the lifeline and jump off of Trump’s ship. CBS Baltimore quoted Hogan as saying, “No, I don’t plan to. I guess when I get behind the curtain I’ll have to figure it out. Maybe write someone in. I’m not sure.”
Graham and Kirk said that they won’t vote for the Republican Party’s arch nemesis, Hillary Clinton, or their troubled spawn, Donald Trump.
Two weeks ago, Graham told MSNBC, “I will write somebody in but I’m not supporting Mr. Trump. I’m not supporting Hillary Clinton. These are two very flawed choices.”
Graham, however, didn’t stop there. The senator was so disgusted by Trump’s comments that he questioned the integrity of Republicans who continue to support a man who Graham believes reached the bottom of the barrel when he decided to use racial overtones when talking about Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel.
Graham said, “It’s a new low in a campaign with plenty lows. I think it’s un-American. I think it runs against who we are as a people and I’ll have no part of it. And if you’re comfortable with that kind of rhetoric, it says more about you than it does me.”
As for Sen. Kirk, he went to twitter to express his dissatisfaction. Kirk tweeted, “While I oppose the Democratic nominee, Donald Trump’s latest statement, in context with past attacks on Hispanics, women and the disabled like me, make it certain that I cannot and will not support my party’s nominee for the president regardless of the political impact on my candidacy or the Republican Party.”
Both senators comments came after Trump refused to stop bad mouthing Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel for being of Mexican descent.
Curiel is the presiding judge in a class action lawsuit against the now defunct Trump University. During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Trump told Tapper that Curiel's Mexican ancestry should be grounds for him to be removed from the Trump University case: "This judge is given us unfair rulings. Now I say why. Well, I’m building a wall, ok. And it’s a wall between Mexico, not another country. He’s Mexican, Mexican heritage, and he’s very proud of it."
Trump’s comment led to everyone from the former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denouncing Trump’s comments.
Gingrich said the comments were “inexcusable.” Ryan said that Trump comments were “textbook racists,” while McConnell called on Trump to focus on the issues and not the federal judge.
For his part, Trump wouldn’t let up and he allegedly told his staffers to hit back in full force against the judge and those who criticized him. In the end, Trump decided that it was best not to continue attacking the judge and to instead focus his attention on Hillary Clinton.
Unfortunately for Trump, his verbal attack on the judge was too much for some within the Republican Party to bear. Former Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney appeared on CNN’s “The Situation Room” on June 10, 2016.
Romney told host Wolf Blitzer that Trump’s comments amounted to “trickled down racism” and that he would be writing in a candidate when he votes this November.
And last Thursday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ( R ) decided to take the lifeline and jump off of Trump’s ship. CBS Baltimore quoted Hogan as saying, “No, I don’t plan to. I guess when I get behind the curtain I’ll have to figure it out. Maybe write someone in. I’m not sure.”
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