#NeverTrump GOP endorsements LATEST: Graham and Lee voted McMullin

[Heisenberg]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment, I guess his punishment may be support of the primary challenger, but that would be strange as whoever runs against him is likely to be an anti-establishment candidate (I'd guess Mulvaney is the most likely).

[ag]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment,

Priebus may very well not be around in 2020.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment, I guess his punishment may be support of the primary challenger, but that would be strange as whoever runs against him is likely to be an anti-establishment candidate (I'd guess Mulvaney is the most likely).

The punishment would be loss of his choice committee assignments in the Senate.  If Priebus could prevail on GOP Senators to enforce that, of course.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment,

Priebus may very well not be around in 2020.

He might not be chairman, but he won't be dead. An endorsement from a Former RNC chair would be a pretty big boost to someone running against Graham (or Kasich/Cruz/Jeb!)

[Indy Texas]

Former US Senator John Warner of Virginia is endorsing Clinton.

[ag]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment, I guess his punishment may be support of the primary challenger, but that would be strange as whoever runs against him is likely to be an anti-establishment candidate (I'd guess Mulvaney is the most likely).

The punishment would be loss of his choice committee assignments in the Senate.  If Priebus could prevail on GOP Senators to enforce that, of course.

RNC chairman determining committee assignments? You make my day. He may have a better chance affecting ministerial appointments in Moscow.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Two reasons:

1.  Party bolters in the South have always been primaried, and have usually lost.  Most of the 1928 Hoovercrats were primaried and lost in 1930 and 1932.  Oddly enough, a number of Dixiecrats lost primaries, especially in states where Truman was the Democratic nominee and Thurmond a third-party pick.

2.  Graham has some pretty good Senate committee assignments, and it's not beyond the GOP to take away his subcommittee chairmanships.

[ag]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment,

Priebus may very well not be around in 2020.

He might not be chairman, but he won't be dead. An endorsement from a Former RNC chair would be a pretty big boost to someone running against Graham (or Kasich/Cruz/Jeb!)

And what would be his incentives to do this, if he is no longer chairman?

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment,

Priebus may very well not be around in 2020.

He might not be chairman, but he won't be dead. An endorsement from a Former RNC chair would be a pretty big boost to someone running against Graham (or Kasich/Cruz/Jeb!)

And what would be his incentives to do this, if he is no longer chairman?

A belief that pledges should mean something.

[ag]

2.  Graham has some pretty good Senate committee assignments, and it's not beyond the GOP to take away his subcommittee chairmanships.

RNC has exactly zero influence there. If it were Mitch McConnell making such threats, it could, possibly, be the reason. But Priebus? He has exactly the same impact there as you or me.

[ag]

I think Graham will come around. Fmr. Governor Sununu endorsed Trump today by the way.

Why would Graham endorse Trump? What does he have to gain? He isn't up for reelection until 2020, he'll probably get a primary challenger anyway, and there's a good chance he'll retire (and I wouldn't blame him).

Graham signed the pledge, as a former presidential candidate. Priebus said he plans some sort of punishment,

Priebus may very well not be around in 2020.

He might not be chairman, but he won't be dead. An endorsement from a Former RNC chair would be a pretty big boost to someone running against Graham (or Kasich/Cruz/Jeb!)

And what would be his incentives to do this, if he is no longer chairman?

A belief that pledges should mean something.

The country, obviously, means more.

[heatcharger]

Former US Senator John Warner of Virginia is endorsing Clinton.

Not too surprising. I've always had some respect for him. At least he had the sense to tell Bush to get pull out of Iraq.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Both Cruz and Fiorina have said in recent days that they'll vote for Trump.  Of course, neither of them ever ruled it out in the past, they were simply noncommittal.  So they weren't listed in the list in the OP, which remains unchanged.  I think with regard to Trump's primary opponents who have not yet said they'll support him, we're down to:

Bush
Graham
Kasich
Pataki

And for US Senators, the ones who are left who have not said that they'll support Trump are:

Collins
Flake
Graham
Heller
Kirk
Lee
Murkowski
Sasse
Toomey

Some of those folks are #NeverTrump, as they've ruled out supporting him.  Others have left open the possibility of backing him, but haven't indicated their support as of yet.  Will any more decide to endorse him between now and November?

None of them strike me as likely to endorse.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I expect Murkowski, Lee, and Flake to say, in the end, that they are voting for Trump.  I don't expect them to campaign for him, but they'll give that much of an "endorsement".  Trust me.

[Maxwell]

Former US Senator John Warner of Virginia is endorsing Clinton.

a solid endorsement, from a pretty decent Republican all things considered (stood up to Ollie North when the party nominated the wacko for Senate).

[riceowl]

Former US Senator John Warner of Virginia is endorsing Clinton.

a solid endorsement, from a pretty decent Republican all things considered (stood up to Ollie North when the party nominated the wacko for Senate).

Ooooh!

Also, neither campaign wants GWB to endorse them, so he won't.

[pppolitics]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/john-warner-hillary-clinton-228819

[Flake]

!!!

[Heisenberg]

That's the nail in the coffin to Trump's chances at winning Virginia. Sad how different this state is compared to just 12 years ago.

[pppolitics]

That's the nail in the coffin to Trump's chances at winning Virginia. Sad how different this state is compared to just 12 years ago.

Don't worry. North Carolina is next.

[Flake]

That's the nail in the coffin to Trump's chances at winning Virginia. Sad how different this state is compared to just 12 years ago.

Don't worry. North Carolina is next.

Then Georgia!

[heatcharger]

That's the nail in the coffin to Trump's chances at winning Virginia. Sad how different this state is compared to just 12 years ago.

Lol at the nail in the coffin part. The growth in the Northern Virginia suburbs happened mostly in the 90s, but those people still were liable to vote Republican, so VA isn't that different than what is was in 2004. Democrats finally got their heads out of their asses and realized they could compete, which Kerry didn't do.

Anyways John Warner is a true FF. I wish Republicans like him still existed.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Honestly not very surprising.  He endorsed Mark Warner in 2014 (and, who knows, could very well have been his saving grace ).

[Heisenberg]

That's the nail in the coffin to Trump's chances at winning Virginia. Sad how different this state is compared to just 12 years ago.

Don't worry. North Carolina is next.

Then Georgia!

No! This virus must be stopped, contained and eradicated. It needs to be stopped, or else it is going to destroy the entire country very soon!!!!



LOL jk. On a serious note, I am convinced Virginia will remain competitive for the next 8 years, and that the combination of Tim Kaine being Clinton's running mate, and Trump (who is beyond a terrible fit for the state) is the Republican nominee is what will make Virginia vote so left compared to the nation. I think a Bobby Scott vs. Barbara Comstock 2017 Senate race is Tilt R. Call me crazy, but Comstock is a great candidate, and Scott is a weak one for being the weaker fundraiser and campaigner, plus Comstock hailing from the only true swing district in the state.

Honestly not very surprising.  He endorsed Mark Warner in 2014 (and, who knows, could very well have been his saving grace ).

Given how close that race was, I wonder if Warner endorsing and campaigning for Gillespie would have tipped over just enough votes.

[Indy Texas]

That's the nail in the coffin to Trump's chances at winning Virginia. Sad how different this state is compared to just 12 years ago.

Don't worry. North Carolina is next.

Then Georgia!

No! This virus must be stopped, contained and eradicated. It needs to be stopped, or else it is going to destroy the entire country very soon!!!!



LOL jk. On a serious note, I am convinced Virginia will remain competitive for the next 8 years, and that the combination of Tim Kaine being Clinton's running mate, and Trump (who is beyond a terrible fit for the state) is the Republican nominee is what will make Virginia vote so left compared to the nation. I think a Bobby Scott vs. Barbara Comstock 2017 Senate race is Tilt R. Call me crazy, but Comstock is a great candidate, and Scott is a weak one for being the weaker fundraiser and campaigner, plus Comstock hailing from the only true swing district in the state.

Honestly not very surprising.  He endorsed Mark Warner in 2014 (and, who knows, could very well have been his saving grace ).

Given how close that race was, I wonder if Warner endorsing and campaigning for Gillespie would have tipped over just enough votes.

Would the VA GOP let Comstock be the nominee? She's okay for NoVA but she's a country club RINO by statewide party standards.