Could a Trump nomination cause an exodus of moderate Republicans?

[Slander and/or Libel]

I hope it does. Moderate republicans are basically liberals anyways

You don't live in an all white country;you can't win the presidency without votes from moderate republicans.

That's fine. If moderates want to leave, go ahead and leave. The GOP has been moderate for far too long.

Post-victory politics, everyone!

[Erc]

Clearly it depends on a host of other factors, age and geography among them.

Many in the northeast whom one would normally describe as "moderate" are clearly on board with Trump--Giuliani, Christie, etc.  Voters who vote mainly on law & order issues, white ethnic voters, and so forth.

Young voters (those under 30, and, to a slightly lesser extent, those under 40) are especially ill-disposed towards Trump, and it's here where I would expect to see the largest flakeoff towards Hillary.  Obviously, Hillary has had her own struggles with the younger vote, but that's something she'll solve by the election.  Whether this means youth turnout will be in the dumps or whether it will be strongly pro-Hillary (or some combination) is unclear.

Personally, I'm voting for Hillary in the fall, though admittedly I'm not very representative, as a McCain 2008 / Obama 2012 voter.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Susan Collins isn't a moderate, she's just what passes for one these days.

You're right- she isn't a moderate.  She is just a liberal.  Less liberal than Democrats, but still a liberal.  Being pro-abortion automatically puts one into the liberal camp, as the position is so ridiculous and extreme that it can't even fit into a moderate viewpoint.

[°Leprechaun]

Susan Collins isn't a moderate, she's just what passes for one these days.

You're right- she isn't a moderate.  She is just a liberal.  Less liberal than Democrats, but still a liberal.  Being pro-abortion automatically puts one into the liberal camp, as the position is so ridiculous and extreme that it can't even fit into a moderate viewpoint.

What if a Democrat is anti-abortion? Does that make him/her a conservative?
What if a Democrat voted for the Iraq War? Does that make her/him a conservative?
If so, Clinton is a conservative by analogous logic. Being "pro-war" is worse than being "pro-abortion". I wouldn't call war moderate by any stretch of the imagination. I can't think of anything more ridiculous than being pro war, since there other ways to resolve conflict, if it can be resolved in the first place, which it can't as long as people remain so insane, stupid and crazy which all amount to the same thing.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Susan Collins isn't a moderate, she's just what passes for one these days.

You're right- she isn't a moderate.  She is just a liberal.  Less liberal than Democrats, but still a liberal.  Being pro-abortion automatically puts one into the liberal camp, as the position is so ridiculous and extreme that it can't even fit into a moderate viewpoint.

What if a Democrat is anti-abortion? Does that make him/her a conservative?
What if a Democrat voted for the Iraq War? Does that make her/him a conservative?
If so, Clinton is a conservative by analogous logic. Being "pro-war" is worse than being "pro-abortion".

No, being pro-life is the centrist/sane position.  Being pro-abortion is a completely irrational, extremist position.  Usually, I can at least understand the liberal position, but this issue is an exception, where I can't even understand their side, as it is painfully obvious that an unborn baby is alive.  Note that even liberal Hollywood subconsciously knows this- on The Big Bang Theory, they had characters say "we made a person" when looking at their unborn baby.

[°Leprechaun]

Susan Collins isn't a moderate, she's just what passes for one these days.

You're right- she isn't a moderate.  She is just a liberal.  Less liberal than Democrats, but still a liberal.  Being pro-abortion automatically puts one into the liberal camp, as the position is so ridiculous and extreme that it can't even fit into a moderate viewpoint.

What if a Democrat is anti-abortion? Does that make him/her a conservative?
What if a Democrat voted for the Iraq War? Does that make her/him a conservative?
If so, Clinton is a conservative by analogous logic. Being "pro-war" is worse than being "pro-abortion".

No, being pro-life is the centrist/sane position.  Being pro-abortion is a completely irrational, extremist position.  Usually, I can at least understand the liberal position, but this issue is an exception, where I can't even understand their side, as it is painfully obvious that an unborn baby is alive.  Note that even liberal Hollywood subconsciously knows this- on The Big Bang Theory, they had characters say "we made a person" when looking at their unborn baby.

So, an unborn is a human being, but once someone is born they're not?
Even if life only matter before one is born, do you really think that no unborns are killed in war.
What if a pregnant woman is sentenced to death for murder? Does her unborn deserve to die
as well or should only men get the death penalty. I don't see the logic in saying that someone
is "pro-life" if it is not consistent. If you are going to use the term "pro-abortion" you might want
to consider using the term "anti-abortion" as well.
"Pro-choice" and "Pro-life" are misleading terms. How many people are "pro-choice" on all issues
and not just abortion and same goes for "Pro-life".

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Can we not make this thread into a debate on abortion?

[Blair]

So every western country is liberal apart from the backwards states that try and limit abortion, and Ireland?

[IceSpear]

Susan Collins isn't a moderate, she's just what passes for one these days.

You're right- she isn't a moderate.  She is just a liberal.  Less liberal than Democrats, but still a liberal.  Being pro-abortion automatically puts one into the liberal camp, as the position is so ridiculous and extreme that it can't even fit into a moderate viewpoint.

lolwut

[Famous Mortimer]

Clinton might be pro-choice, anti-abortion but that line of reasoning is dying out on the left. If he actually vocalized it at this point, she would get crucified on social media. The next generation of leftists is unapologeticly pro-abortion. Suggesting that abortion is in any way undesirable is misogyny.

[ProudModerate2]

Wow.
Someone is sure being an "extreme Republican" in this thread.

[Illiniwek]

No, being pro-life is the centrist/sane position.  Being pro-abortion is a completely irrational, extremist position.

Listen, I'm very pro-life. I'm not even a personally prolife, politically pro choice. But even I have to admit that being pro life is not the centrist position. Most of the country favors some form of pro choice. I don't like it at all, but it's reality.

[muon2]

Trump has no ideology. The problem with him revolves around his character.

Most of what seems to be ideology from Trump is unvarnished nationalism to the point of nativism. It is an ideology, but not one that fits into a modern left-right categorization. It causes Pubs (and others) to struggle with how they should react to Trump. Ideological conservatives, whether fiscal or social, don't know how to best use their vote now. Governance-oriented Pubs (who when they compromise become "moderate") don't care for nationalist rhetoric, but don't want to hand power to the Dems either. They are stuck, too.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

You mean all three of them?

[IceSpear]

"Moderate Republicans" sat by and twiddled their thumbs while the Tea Party and former Dixiecrats have slowly but surely taken over their party. They are completely impotent and have no spine. 95% will fall in line with Trump.

[i4indyguy]

I'm a moderate, but not a republican. Using my parents, who I suspect are in the 'establishment republican' mold as an example though:

Both B.S. graduates from reputable public universities, stable jobs, no criminal background, white, mainline protestant, a few years from retirement, est. house income 125-175K.

Father has made no endorsing statements so far. Not a peep.
But my mother demonstrates visceral repulsion at the mention of Donald. She voted Bush 04, Obama 08, Romney 12. 

We all live in the FL I-4 Corridor. When senator Sherrod Brown talked about moderate suburban Ohio voters deciding election (sorry couldn't find link) he was speaking about people like my parents.

I'm certain Donald trumps presence on the ticket guarantees to flip my mothers vote. And a chance for my dad as well.  These are people who are %75 Rep normally.

Especially in a swing state, tough votes to be loosing.

[Green Line]

No, because the Democrats have moved to the left this year just as much as the GOP has moved right.  Moderate Republicans probably would have been more ok with Hillary before she went hard left in the primary.

[Maxwell]

Honestly - it seems like people abandoning the Trump candidacy are half and half moderate Republicans and tr00 conservative Republicans.

[Kingpoleon]

Susan Collins isn't a moderate, she's just what passes for one these days.

Almost voted for ObamaCare, supports SSM and abortion, pro-gun control... Is Michael Bloomberg a pho-moderate Republican, too?

[Coolface Sock #42069]

"Moderate Republicans" sat by and twiddled their thumbs while the Tea Party and former Dixiecrats have slowly but surely taken over their party. They are completely impotent and have no spine. 95% will fall in line with Trump.

If the actual Tea Party had "taken over" the GOP, Ted Cruz would be the nominee.

[youngohioan216]

I'm a moderate, but not a republican. Using my parents, who I suspect are in the 'establishment republican' mold as an example though:

Both B.S. graduates from reputable public universities, stable jobs, no criminal background, white, mainline protestant, a few years from retirement, est. house income 125-175K.

Father has made no endorsing statements so far. Not a peep.
But my mother demonstrates visceral repulsion at the mention of Donald. She voted Bush 04, Obama 08, Romney 12. 

We all live in the FL I-4 Corridor. When senator Sherrod Brown talked about moderate suburban Ohio voters deciding election (sorry couldn't find link) he was speaking about people like my parents.

I'm certain Donald trumps presence on the ticket guarantees to flip my mothers vote. And a chance for my dad as well.  These are people who are %75 Rep normally.

Especially in a swing state, tough votes to be loosing.

Replace "mainline protestant" with Catholic and that almost perfectly describes my parents.  They are the moderate suburban Ohio voters Sherrod Brown was talking about.  They are not the type of people who normally talk a lot about politics but have been completely against Trump from day one. 

[IceSpear]

"Moderate Republicans" sat by and twiddled their thumbs while the Tea Party and former Dixiecrats have slowly but surely taken over their party. They are completely impotent and have no spine. 95% will fall in line with Trump.

If the actual Tea Party had "taken over" the GOP, Ted Cruz would be the nominee.

Yes, your party's primary was a battle between the Tea Party and the former Dixiecrats. The Dixiecrats won. "Moderate Republicans" or even "mainstream Republicans" were about as irrelevant as possible. On the bright side, you guys did take Minnesota, Puerto Rico, DC, and Ohio (because of a home state effect.)

[Coolface Sock #42069]

"Moderate Republicans" sat by and twiddled their thumbs while the Tea Party and former Dixiecrats have slowly but surely taken over their party. They are completely impotent and have no spine. 95% will fall in line with Trump.

If the actual Tea Party had "taken over" the GOP, Ted Cruz would be the nominee.

Yes, your party's primary was a battle between the Tea Party and the former Dixiecrats. The Dixiecrats won. "Moderate Republicans" or even "mainstream Republicans" were about as irrelevant as possible. On the bright side, you guys did take Minnesota, Puerto Rico, DC, and Ohio (because of a home state effect.)

I usually consider myself a Tea Party guy, but I didn't really like Cruz that much. I voted for him because by the time my state came around, it was pretty clear that a vote for Rubio was a wasted vote, and I didn't like Kasich.