A list of Republicans who have rejected the presumptive Republican nominee.
AB Wire
Since Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president last year, a number of Republican stalwarts have denounced him, and a few have even said they will rather vote for the Democratic nominee.
Every single living presidential nominee of the party, except Bob Dole (1996), has said he will skip this year’s Republican National Convention, where the Trump coronation will be held.
Here is a list of current and former GOP officeholders who have said they will not support Trump.
Name | Position | Comments |
Rep. Paul Ryan | Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives | “They (Americans) must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry.” |
Sen. Lindsey Graham | U.S. Senator | “We’re going to lose to Hillary Clinton and have the third term of Barack Obama.” |
Benjamin E. Sasse | U.S. Senator | U.S. deserves better than Trump or Clinton. |
Rep. Scott Rigell | U.S. Representative | “There is a fire and it’s raging within our Republican party” |
Gov. Charlie Baker | Governor of Massachusetts | “I’m not going to vote for him in November.” |
Rep. Carlos Curbelo | U.S. Representative | “This man does things and says things that I teach my six- and three-year-olds not to say.” |
Mitt Romney | 2012 GOP presidential nominee and former Governor of Massachusetts | “His (Trump’s) coddling of repugnant bigotry is not in the character of America.” |
Jeb Bush | Former Governor of Florida and former GOP presidential candidate | “Donald Trump has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character. He has not displayed a respect for the Constitution. And, he is not a consistent conservative.” |
Christie Todd Whitman | Former Governor of New Jersey | “While I certainly don’t want four more years of another Clinton administration or more years of the Obama administration, I would take that over the kind of damage I think Donald Trump could do to this country, to its reputation, to the people of this country.” |
Mel Martinez | Former U.S. Senator from Florida | “If there is any, any, any other choice, a living, breathing person with a pulse, I would be there.” |