# How is trump still a viable candidate for president? Really, how? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 12, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949 "2023-05-12T14:28:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 73
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1455 "2024-05-27T20:36:04Z")
A quick Google suggests no one has yet put “Make America Great Again” on a Napoleon hat. Business opportunity! ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1456 "2024-05-28T01:53:12Z")
Positive for Trump: The right wing Mises Caucus candidate lost the Libertarian nomination last night. I think [Chase Oliver, the Libertarian nominee](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/chase-oliver-libertarian-convention-candidate-b2552236.html), will do quite poorly in November, but is more likely to peel tens of thousands of voters away from Biden than Trump. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1457 "2024-05-28T04:29:26Z")
I doubt one voter in 10,000 even knows the Mises caucus exists and will look at the LP’s [platform](https://www.lp.org/platform/). McArdle, a Mises caucus member handily won National Chair for a second term. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1458 "2024-05-28T11:20:11Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I doubt one voter in 10,000 even knows the Mises caucus exists . . . Sounds highly plausible. Oliver voters are far more likely to have heard he is the only gay presidential candidate than to have heard of Ludwig von Mises. But the year 2000 presidential election in Florida was determined by 537 Florida votes out of 5,963,110 cast – a margin of one vote for every 11,104 cast. A reasonable guess is that Oliver will receive more than one vote out of each 100 cast, and that at at least one state will be closer than that margin. Due to the unpopularity of both major party candidates, this is a year when third party candidates will do unusually well. Someone could easily win while taking less than 45 percent of the national popular vote. That helps make both Biden and Trump viable. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1459 "2024-05-28T11:59:42Z")
I saw an interesting You Tube video yesterday. Nothing but military veterans, active duty, former military and retired, all of whom voted for Trump and who are now walking away from him. They cite both J-6 and the fact that he has said that people who died in combat are losers and suckers. Gave me a bit of hope. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1460 "2024-05-28T12:24:58Z")
In real life yesterday, I was in a Memorial Day event as a town official. The folks on the stage with me were mostly veterans and were vocally pro-Trump or at least vehemently anti-Biden. This included a lawyer, several firefighters and a police officer. And lots and lots of older folks (70s, 80s, even a nonagenarian) The only debate about Jan 6 was whether it was a false flag operation or a valiant effort to save the country. This is a town that went 60-40 Biden in 2020. You can find enough veterans who have gone off Trump to make a YouTube video. But I’m sure that the overwhelming majority are 100% behind him. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1461 "2024-05-28T13:09:33Z")
That kind of depends on where you are. There are not going to be many veterans in Idaho for example that will ever support any democrat. A flawed republican always wins. If they get in trouble…there is an endless supply of republicans in those states. Including about 3/4 of the state I am in. We are divided. Urban areas 60% Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1462 "2024-05-28T14:17:46Z")
Well. . .THIS one ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1463 "2024-05-28T14:22:27Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > The folks on the stage with me were mostly veterans and were vocally pro-Trump With all the many times he’s insulted members of the military, I really do not get this. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1464 "2024-05-28T14:50:38Z")
I am from a family of non-white immigrants (some of them former “illegals” who were amnestied) who are solidly pro-Trump. Because we are not like “those” immigrants, we are honorary white people or “good” immigrants and minorities. Also a family where a number of people were sexually abused by priests who believe that the sex abuse scandal is cooked up by anti-Church liberals who want to destroy the values of the Western World. Including two people who were themselves victims of abuse. Hell one of the most pro-Trump people I know is a married gay man, who is now vocally anti-marriage equality because that’s what it takes to join the club that hates trans people and blacks. Another is a child of Mexican American undocumented immigrants who believes that the current wave of immigrants is bad because they are coming from Venezuela and Ecuador not from Mexico. If you can motivate yourself to hate someone, anyone, the GOP is the home you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1465 "2024-05-28T15:00:38Z")
Yes, I guess I should really stop being surprised at the effectiveness of denialism. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1466 "2024-05-28T15:23:57Z")
Yeah i have heard this about immigrants from Mexico and simialr places. I wonder how much it has to do with religion? They tend to be somewhat more stuck in beliefs. Compared to the average white Methodist. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1467 "2024-05-28T15:47:23Z")
I think it’s more a case of the fervor of the “convert”; in this instance a “more patriotic than thou” attitude to demonstrate that _they_ are really, truly American and not like those evil illegals who crossed the border after them. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1468 "2024-05-28T15:49:54Z")
Religiosity has to do with it, as part of that in general they DO come from more overall conservative social cultures. Also let’s face it many of them came to the USA seeking _economic_ opportunity, and _safety_ from _crime or civil instability_. _ **Not** _ looking for progressive social justice as we think of it. They perceive on one side someone talking about putting priority on LGBT rights and sexual freedom and giving reparations to the blacks and green energy all of which they see having no benefit to them; and on the other someone talking about being tough and taking no shit from nobody and throwing criminals in jail and making lots of money and God, God, God, and my boy will always be a boy and my girl a girl, which they really care about. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1469 "2024-05-28T16:01:00Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > “more patriotic than thou” I don’t really “hate” anyone. I’ve been on a bit of a campaign to try to eliminate absolute terminology from my daily usage (eg, “never”) since my cancer recovery and perspective I feel I have gained from it, the relativity of everything. That being said, as a veteran from a family of many career vets, I dislike very much the “Uber Patriot”, and almost to a person they are Trumpers. So unreal. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1470 "2024-05-28T16:04:25Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Hell one of the most pro-Trump people I know is a married gay man, who is now vocally anti-marriage equality because that’s what it takes to join the club that hates trans people and blacks. This says SO much. Thanks for putting it in these terms — “what does it take — what must I sacrifice — to join the club that hates the particular people I also hate?” ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1471 "2024-05-28T16:14:51Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I think it’s more a case of the fervor of the “convert”; in this instance a “more patriotic than thou” attitude to demonstrate that _they_ are really, truly American and not like those evil illegals who crossed the border after them… Also, a healthy dose of “I’m on board now Jack, pull up the ladder!” ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1472 "2024-05-28T19:40:00Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I dislike very much the “Uber Patriot”, and almost to a person they are Trumpers. Yes. They have defined “patriot” in ways strange to me. If they manage to elect their god-emperor they’ll get the country they deserve the country they’ll get, good and hard. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > “what does it take — what must I sacrifice — to join the club that hates the particular people I also hate?” Everything. “First they came for the Socialists…” etc. etc. Sooner or later the Face-eating-leopards party will be munching their face. Do I sound bitter? Hell, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1473 "2024-05-28T19:43:02Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Sooner or later the Face-eating-leopards party will be munching their face. I wouldn’t mind this so much, except that Canada doesn’t have a leopard-proof fence on the border. If the US goes down, it will take us with it. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949/1474 "2024-05-28T20:11:42Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > That being said, as a veteran from a family of many career vets, I dislike very much the “Uber Patriot”, and almost to a person they are Trumpers. So unreal. There’s a great line in _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_. When the Order of the Cruciform Sword tries to stop in in Venice, one of them says to him “ask yourself, why do you seek the cup of Christ. Is it for his glory, or for yours?” I have a similar reaction to people who make ostentations on their homes or pickup trucks. Why are you flying so many American flags; is it for the country’s glory, or for your own? > [@DesertDog](#): > > Yes. They have defined “patriot” in ways strange to me. I’ve seen survivalist supplies, like generators and shelf-stable foods, advertised specifically to so-called “patriots”. Personally, I don’t find someone preparing for the collapse of social order to be patriotic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949.md?page=72) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-trump-still-a-viable-candidate-for-president-really-how/983949.md?page=74)