Washington — reports that a small but significant number of Republican primary and caucus voters would not vote for Donald Trump in November's general election.
The data shows that many of those voters were unlikely to vote for Trump, some even before this year, but it still suggests challenges for the former president as he seeks to solidify the nomination and prepare for a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.
Surveys of the first three head-to-head Republican primaries found that 2 in 10 Iowa voters, 1 in 3 New Hampshire voters, and 25% of South Carolina voters would disavow Trump's renomination in the fall. This reluctance to vote for Trump isn't limited to early states.
Lee and Bill Baltzell quit the GOP to become independents a year ago. They encouraged former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump's last major competitor, to run again last week at a rally in Centennial, Colorado. Bill Baltzell, 60, said, “We don't know if Trump will run into more legal problems and be disqualified, and I'd rather not see Biden in there for another four years
If it's between Biden and Trump, Lee Baltzell, 58, might write another way. “No idea. I didn't vote for Biden last time and doubt I would this time. But I doubt I could vote for Trump.”
Despite opposition from voters like the Baltzells, Trump has advanced toward the nomination. It may be a problem later. A look at the figures suggests that many “never-Trump” voters in the early states were unlikely to vote for him in the general election, so it's unclear how big an issue it is.
Many of those who declared they wouldn't vote for Trump aren't Republicans. The first three head-to-head battles showed that 17% to 31% of Trump opponents were Democrats and 14% to 27% were independents.
Even for some Republicans, voting for Trump was difficult. About half to two-thirds of early anti-Trump voters stated they voted for Biden in 2020. Additionally, primaries attract the most passionate voters. Primaries and caucuses, especially uncompetitive ones, have lower voter turnout than general elections. However, 1 in 10 early contest voters who supported Trump in 2020 said they wouldn't this year. The question is whether they would vote for Trump's opponent instead.
Simply said, I won't vote for Trump. I voted for him twice; I could never vote for him again,” said Linda Binkley, 74, a Republican who dislikes the Trump-Biden matchup. She said, “I’m not sure I can vote for Biden.”
If Trump becomes the nominee, he may need to win over moderates who supported Biden in 2020 to return to the White House. Even a modest degree of internal party dissent, not to mention independent skepticism, could be an issue in the future.
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