# Why did Republicans vote for Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 25, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136 "2017-01-25T12:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/101 "2017-01-28T17:00:44Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Those are all good points. The Democrats should keep doing the same thing, and there’s a good chance things will work out differently next time. Complain more about the mean 'ol Republicans and right wing media, though. That’s certainly the most effective part of the strategy. Why not? Complaining about the mean old Democrats and the Liberal media is the entire playbook for the Republican party, and it won them the election. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/102 "2017-01-28T17:05:19Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Okay, fine. Then explain to me how someone like my old friend, upon seeing someone say with their vote (or outright, as slee did), “yes, I know your basic humanity is under attack, but I’m going to vote for this guy whose VP thinks you’re going to hell because he says he’ll give me a little more money. You understand, right?”, should react. You should react by saying, “Look, we don’t care about your concerns. Whether or not you lose your job doesn’t matter. Gay marriage does matter. And if you don’t agree, instantly and 100%, you will be called names.” Or at least that’s how they did react. > [@](#): > > I’m serious. This is the part about this whole “liberals are to blame for Trump because they weren’t nice” thing I haven’t gotten this entire time. That’s not **sleestak** ’s point. His point is that liberals kept repeating before the election, “your concerns are not as important as gay marriage”. And you keep repeating it afterward. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/103 "2017-01-28T17:29:05Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Why not? Complaining about the mean old Democrats and the Liberal media is the entire playbook for the Republican party, and it won them the election. Yet another excellent point! ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/104 "2017-01-28T17:51:15Z")
The staunchest Republicans just want a conservative Supreme Court justice (or 2 or 3), abortion rights rolled back, keep out the bad Muslims and quite a few other conservative items on their list. If they have to put up with an embarrassing reality show businessman to do it, they will, even if they have to cringe over Trump’s embarrassing antics for the next four years. To them, it’s better than bad old left wing Hillary in charge. They’ve basically have sold their soul and put people, and America, in danger, in order to get their right wing agenda in place ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/105 "2017-01-29T16:58:03Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > If you in fact DON’T want explanations – and your behavior strongly suggests that – then why do you keep starting these threads? Why? Two reasons: 1. Another thread to rip Trump 2. A blindness of the Democrats as to how bad Clinton was. They honestly believe that Clinton was the greatest Presidential candidate ever so it is literally inconceivable\* that anyone would NOT vote for her. - > [@](#): > > In psychology, **cognitive dissonance** is the mental stress (discomfort) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values, when performing an action that contradicts those beliefs, ideas, and values; or **when confronted with new information that contradicts existing beliefs, ideas, and values.** [1][2] > > Leon Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance focuses on how human beings strive for internal consistency. A person who experiences inconsistency tends to become psychologically uncomfortable, and so is **motivated to try to reduce the cognitive dissonance occurring, and actively avoids situations and information likely to increase the psychological discomfort** ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/106 "2017-01-29T17:08:10Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Why? Two reasons: > > 1. Another thread to rip Trump > 2. A blindness of the Democrats as to how bad Clinton was. They honestly believe that Clinton was the greatest Presidential candidate ever so it is literally inconceivable\* that anyone would NOT vote for her… You can find oodles and gobs of Dem/lefty Dopers who said “Well, Hillary will do, an acceptable consensus candidate”. Show me the oodles and gobs of posters who said “Wow, totally wonderful, absolutely the bestest candidate ever!”. I’ll just wait over here while you gather the huge numbers of examples. Or at least wait till you come to the conclusion that you _don’t_ really know what we are thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/107 "2017-01-29T17:18:03Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You can find oodles and gobs of Dem/lefty Dopers who said “Well, Hillary will do, an acceptable consensus candidate”. Show me the oodles and gobs of posters who said “Wow, totally wonderful, absolutely the bestest candidate ever!”. I’ll just wait over here while you gather the huge numbers of examples. Or at least wait till you come to the conclusion that you _don’t_ really know what we are thinking. Will you accept all the Dems that said “Most qualified candidate ever” cuz there are tons of those quotes. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/108 "2017-01-29T17:31:33Z")
I don’t know a single democrat who thought HRC was “the greatest Presidential candidate ever”. Not one. But she fucking well was one of the most qualified candidates ever. A life long public servant. A first lady, a senator, a SoS, thoughtful, smart. Show me a better resume for POTUS and compare/contrast it with the qualifications of the orange jackass. Her fatal flaw is that she’s devoid of charisma and that’s unforgivable in US politics. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/109 "2017-01-29T19:51:23Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I don’t know a single democrat who thought HRC was “the greatest Presidential candidate ever”. Not one. But she fucking well was one of the most qualified candidates ever. A life long public servant. A first lady, a senator, a SoS, thoughtful, smart. Show me a better resume for POTUS John McCain reached Captain in the US Navy (public service and management skills). Not sure what First Lady qualifies her for unless you want to count the failed HillaryCare and destroying people’s careers in TravelGate. 21 years in the Senate compared to Clinton’s 8. While in the Senate McCain has chaired 3 committees, I can’t find that Clinton chair any. McCain sponsored the McCain-Feingold Bill and was a member of the Gang of 14. Name one major piece of legislation Clinton wrote. But since you care about qualifications: Barack Obama: professor for 12 years, State Senator for 7 years, US Senator for less than 3 years. Hmmmm looks like McCain was a fuckload more qualified than Obama. Care to address that? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/110 "2017-01-29T20:39:53Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > … and destroying people’s careers in TravelGate… . Shit, I’d pretty much forgotten about the horrendous scandal of TravelGate! How the nation reeled in shock, horror and dismay. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/111 "2017-01-29T21:05:15Z")
This is the Trump thread. Take the Clinton discussion elsewhere. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/112 "2017-01-30T04:06:12Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > He said that he was going to “make America great again” and that he was going to give the governing back to the people. > > He has picked a cabinet exclusively of people who have profited by taking governance away from the people and who are geared up to get us into trade wars that will kill the economy. > > He is a narcissistic buffoon whose only talent is as a con man who has now conned his way into the White House. The only real thing about Trump is his ego. With Bannon pulling the strings and Preibus an ineffectual sop for the GOP. And a cadre of asskissers just waiting to hide, distract from, or flat-out obliterate the truth. Stand by, ‘interesting times’ is the understatement of the century. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/113 "2017-01-30T04:11:28Z")
> [@Vinum\_Lupum](#): > > So why are you blaming us republicans for Trump? Same-o, Same-o. > > You got stuck with your shit-sandwich, we got stuck with ours. Ours got elected. Ain’t Democracy wonderful!?! Uh…because you voted for a narcissistic strongman incapable of the slightest humanity and who within a week has already compromised democracy multiple times? But then that doesn’t matter, does it? Anything for power. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/114 "2017-01-30T08:48:45Z")
Well, it’s not working all that hot. You can’t be a Strong Man and screw up as often and as badly as he does. You may not _expect_ the Strong Man to make his own oatmeal, but you gotta believe he \*could \*! ---
**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:** [January 30, 2017, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/115 "2017-01-30T10:46:37Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > You should react by saying, “Look, we don’t care about your concerns. Whether or not you lose your job doesn’t matter. Gay marriage does matter. And if you don’t agree, instantly and 100%, you will be called names.” > > Or at least that’s how they did react. Actually Clinton spoke a lot about jobs. The problem was that she told the truth about them. What she should have done was lied out her ass and told people that, even thought the SEECRET UNEMPLOYMENT RATE was 42%, of course everyone was going to get all their coal and manufacturing industry jobs back, and everyone would be kept safe from those evil dancing New Jersey Muslims, and everyone would receive a free unicorn that farted rainbows. I mean, that’s the approach that worked, so that’s what the Democrats should have done, right? > [@](#): > > That’s not **sleestak** ’s point. His point is that liberals kept repeating before the election, “your concerns are not as important as gay marriage”. And you keep repeating it afterward. How odd - it used to be the Republicans who told people their concerns were not as important as gay marriage… or at least stopping it. And who now are more concerned about which bathroom transpeople use than with coming up with a jobs bill or an actual “replacement” for ACA. But as always IOKIARDI. ---
**Author:** ![Navy\_draftee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ec9cab/32.png) [@Navy\_draftee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Navy_draftee)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/116 "2017-01-30T18:32:11Z")
I voted for Ted Cruz in the primary. In November I had no problem voting for Trump. Hillary ? ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/117 "2017-01-30T19:01:44Z")
> [@Navy\_draftee](#): > > I voted for Ted Cruz in the primary. > > In November I had no problem voting for Trump. > > Hillary ? > > ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha That’s a who and not a why. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/118 "2017-01-31T14:50:34Z")
In my opinion, it was because both Obama, Hillary, and many others openly referred to Republicans as the “enemy”. > **[Hillary Clinton changes her tune on Republicans | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/09/politics/hillary-clinton-republicans-enemy/)** > > Hillary Clinton cast Republicans as enemies in a Democratic presidential debate, but when a woman who described herself as a long-time supporter pressed Clinton at a New Hampshire town hall Monday night, Clinton changed her tune. > **[Obama: I shouldn't have used the word 'enemies'](http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/11/obama-i-shouldnt-have-used-the-word-enemies/1#.VpV5XiyDmnM)** > > President Obama is backing off a previous comment in which he appeared to cast Republicans as "enemies." If you declare that you are my enemy, I take you at your word. Why would I ever do anything to help you? Why wouldn’t I do everything I can to stop you, even if I have to ally myself with someone who I don’t particularly like? If I have to cut off a toe to save my leg, I’ll do it. (Yeah, yeah. “But Trump is LITERALLY HITLER!! He will take more than your leg!” Except that kind of thing only convinces people who disagree with you that you are unhinged.) If you are running for office, you can attack and insult the other candidate all you want. What you CAN’T do is attack the voters, which is what Hillary did with her “enemy” statement; and even more famously with her “deplorable” comment. You can’t expect someone to vote for you if you tell them you hate them. I think this drove at least some of the vote for Trump. Better the guy I don’t like than the one who hates me. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/119 "2017-01-31T19:59:08Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > How odd - it used to be the Republicans who told people their concerns were not as important as gay marriage… or at least stopping it. And who now are more concerned about which bathroom transpeople use than with coming up with a jobs bill or an actual “replacement” for ACA. But as always IOKIARDI. Post snipped. The point, and it is a quite simple one, is that Clinton spoke to special interest groups. Or at least appeared to focus on them while Trump spoke to average joes. Everyone has multiple interests. Everyone ranks those interests. For the vast majority of people it goes something like #1. Family/Home #2. Job/Money #3. Other things If #1 and #2 are in jeopardy, or the voter believes that they are in jeopardy, then #3 gets pushed wayyyy down the list. #3 are, for most people, things like gay rights and transgendered bathrooms. They may matter, _but not more than issues that affect their own lives directly_. The message Clinton got through wasn’t about #1 and #2 to the people who voted for Trump. They heard ‘public and private positions’. They heard ‘deplorable’. They heard that the Democratic presidential candidate thought they were evil and that their concerns didn’t matter to Clinton. Trump. on the other hand, got a message out which was basically ‘You deserve better. Vote for me and I will make America Great again!’. Bullshit? Yup. But that was the message that got through to Trump voters. Jobs. Economy. A note, **Buck Godot** , I didn’t get fed a bill of goods as I didn’t vote Trump. Or Clinton. I voted third party because both the major party candidates sucked. Had the Ds put up Biden instead of Clinton I probably would have voted for him. Or just about anyone else. Slee ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136/120 "2017-01-31T20:19:18Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > And there you go. You ignored and proved my point at the same time by contrasting gay rights with “real world problems” and saying you don’t care about social issues. Of course you don’t have to care; you don’t have to face their consequences every day. Did I ever say that? What I said is that for Trump voters there were other issues that were more important to them than gay rights. Do you understand that? Non-gay Trump voters have real world problems that have nothing to do with gay rights. Those problems will be their main concern. Also, note that I didn’t vote for Trump, hence the use of the phrase ‘Trump voters’. So take your outrage and figure out something useful to do with it instead of pointing it at people who would be on your side if you stopped throwing around baseless accusations. [/QUOTE] But I can tell you that my friend of 17+ years cares every much about what happens to his marriage to his husband, and what the results say about society’s views at large about him. So yes, if you don’t think that gay people deserve the same legal protections as everyone else, if you don’t care that your narrow views on birth cause actual real people to die, if you don’t see anything wrong with the numbers on police shootings in regards to minorities, how is that NOT “deplorable”? Unless you agree that the fags should be put in asylums and women who have sex are whores and blacks are shot more because they’re more criminal than whites? [/QUOTE] Ohhh. I can beat that. My friend of 31 years is a lesbian and got married this year, I have known her since high school and I was the first person she came out to back in 1986. My best friend is a gay Mexican and he voted for Trump! (Figure that one out. He is also Catholic and doesn’t believe in gay marriage. A rather odd guy). He is also god father to my twin boys. Slee [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-republicans-vote-for-trump/778136.md?page=7)