长期以来的共和党选民因与没有“主心骨”的共和党人“有关联”而感到尴尬

       至少有一位共和党选民以共和党在弹劾听证会上为唐纳德·特朗普总统辩护的方式感到共鸣，并对共和党“失望”。

       博伊斯·奥布莱恩（Boyce O'Brien）周四对美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）表示：“我对共和党感到非常失望。“在这一点上，我什至很难加入其中。我希望他们最终能够发展出一支骨干，并为正确的立场辩护。”

       奥布莱恩说：“我一生都投票给共和党人。” “直到上次选举为止，都是每次。”

       亚利桑那州选民卡莉·雷巴克（Carly Rebuck）告诉美国有线电视新闻网（CNN），尽管她一生都被确定为共和党人，但她在特朗普2016年大选后改选了政党。

       雷巴克对新闻媒体说，已故政治家约翰·麦凯恩在参议院的存在“使我为成为亚利桑那州人感到自豪”。“这让我为成为前共和党人感到自豪。”

       雷巴克说，看到约翰·麦凯恩投票时给他标志性的“大拇指朝下”标志对她​​来说意义重大。但是，现在情况有所不同。

       雷巴克说：“我不承认现在的共和党。”

       像这样的选民并不是唯一摆脱特朗普执政的共和党的人。得克萨斯州共和党国会议员威尔·赫德（Will Hurd）在2019年7月宣布他不会寻求连任。

       据波利蒂科说，赫德是众议院唯一的非裔美国共和党人，在接受采访时说，他想给共和党带来更多多样性。

       赫德在哥伦比亚广播公司的《面对国家》上说：“我有兴趣帮助像我这样的其他候选人。” 他说：“我想我希望看到一个共和党，有更多的人在外观，声音和运作上像我一样。”

       赫德对共和党的批评在他关于其政治前途的声明中得到了回应，他在声明中透露，他打算“继续参与政治以发展一个看起来像美国的共和党”。

       赫德继续说：“作为众议院中唯一的非裔美国人共和党人，以及代表拉美裔地区71％的国会议员，我已向不常听到的地方传达了保守的信息。这些社区的人们我们相信，为了解决问题，我们应该赋予人民而不是政府权力，帮助家庭通过自由市场而不是社会主义来提升经济阶梯，并通过与好人相处融洽而与强硬人相处融洽来实现和维持和平。”

       他补充说：“这些共和党的理想引起了那些认为自己不认同共和党的人们的共鸣。每个美国人都应该感到自己在我们党中有家。”

       爱荷华州众议员安迪·麦基恩（Andy McKean）于2019年5月离开共和党，成为民主党人。他建议特朗普归咎于他的忠诚。

       麦基恩说，特朗普以其欺负，短视政策和“因其容貌，种族和残疾而嘲笑或边缘化人们”树立了“可怜的榜样”，然后断言他将不再是共和党人。

       麦克基恩在《大西洋时报》上写道：“有些人会为这种行为辩解，声称特朗普只是按原样讲出来了-这是新常态。如果这是新常态，我就不想要任何一部分。” 他说：“应该以不正当的行为来指责它，而各方的美国人都应该坚持比在土地上担任最高职务的人更好的事情。”

LONGTIME GOP VOTER EMBARRASSED TO BE 'AFFILIATED' WITH REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE NO 'BACKBONE' AMID TRUMP IMPEACHMENT PROBE


       At least one Republican voter has had it with the way the GOP has defended President Donald Trump during the impeachment hearings and is "disappointed" with the Republican party.

       "I am so disappointed in the Republican party," Boyce O'Brien told CNN Thursday. "It's embarrassing to me to even be affiliated with it at this point. My hope is that they'll finally develop a backbone and stand up for what's right."

       "My entire life I voted Republican," O'Brien said. "Every single time up until the last election."

       Arizona voter Carly Rebuck told CNN that she switched parties after Trump's 2016 election, despite having identified as a Republican her entire life.

       Rebuck told the news outlet that the late politician John McCain's presence in the senate "made me feel proud to be an Arizonian," Rebuck said. "It made me feel proud to be a former Republican."

       Rebuck said that seeing John McCain give his iconic "thumbs down" sign when voting meant a lot to her. However, things are different now.

       "I don't recognize the Republican party as it is right now," Rebuck said.

       Voters like these aren't the only ones turning away from what the Republican party has become under Trump's administration. Texas Republican congressman Will Hurd announced in July 2019 that he would not seek reelection.

       Hurd, the only African-American Republican in the House of Representatives, said in an interview that he wanted to bring more diversity into the Republican Party, according to Politico.

       "I am interested in helping other candidates like me," Hurd said on CBS' Face the Nation. "I think I want to see a Republican Party that has more folks that look and sound and operate like I do."

       Hurd's criticism of the Republican Party was echoed in a statement he made concerning his political future, where he revealed he intends to "stay involved in politics to grow a Republican Party that looks like America."

       "As the only African American Republican in the House of Representatives and as a Congressman who represents a 71% Latino district," Hurd continued, "I've taken a conservative message to places that don't often hear it. Folks in these communities believe in order to solve problems we should empower people not the government, help families move up the economic ladder through free markets not socialism and achieve and maintain peace by being nice with nice guys and tough with tough guys."

       He added: "These Republican ideals resonate with people who don't think they identify with the Republican Party. Every American should feel they have a home in our party."

       Iowa Representative Andy McKean left the Republican Party in May 2019 and became a Democrat. He suggested that Trump was to blame for his switch of allegiance.

       Trump set a "poor example" with his bullying, shortsighted policies and "willingness to ridicule or marginalize people for their appearance, ethnicity, and disability," McKean said, before asserting that he could no longer remain a Republican.

       "Some would excuse this behavior, claiming Trump is just telling it like it is—and that this is the new normal. If this is the new normal, I want no part of it," McKean wrote in The Atlantic. "Unacceptable behavior should be called out for what it is—and Americans of all parties should insist on something far better from the man holding the highest office in the land."