Never Trump Republicans continue to struggle with accepting the reality that former President Donald Trump will be the Republican Party’s nominee for president in the general election. In an effort to express their disapproval, they have allocated approximately $50 million to air advertisements featuring Republicans who claim they can no longer support the presumed nominee.
Although Trump undeniably maintained his position as the frontrunner throughout the entirety of the Republican Primary race, winning numerous states, his status as the presumptive nominee was officially confirmed after Super Tuesday. On this crucial day, former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) chose to withdraw from the race, presumably recognizing that there was no viable path forward. Unlike some of her fellow competitors, such as Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), she did not formally endorse Trump. However, she did acknowledge that it was highly likely that Donald Trump would become the Republican nominee when the party convention convened in July.
“I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America’s president,” Haley said after refusing to endorse him, instead stating that it is “up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him.”
vHowever, there are certain Republicans who are adamant in their opposition towards him and are not only individually opposing him, but also initiating a nationwide campaign to persuade other Republicans to abandon the former president. The Republican Voters Against Trump group, led by Sarah Longwell, a prominent Never Trumper, has allocated a budget of $50 million to broadcast advertisements. These ads will showcase former Trump supporters who will elucidate through a series of videos why they will not be endorsing Trump in the upcoming election.
As reported by the Hill, these advertisements, featuring testimonials from former Trump voters, will be disseminated across various mediums such as television, streaming platforms, billboards, radio, and digital media. They will be strategically aired in crucial swing states including Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The group’s website showcases numerous videos where former Trump supporters articulate their reasons for withdrawing their support.
“These are former Donald Trump voters. They supported him and his policies in the past. But now, they refuse to support him for president again. Watch them explain in their own words why they’re voting against their party to ensure that Trump never holds office again,” the website reads.
