I know the red tribe is more popular here, but the gubernatorial candidate you apparently favored against the "slime ball" [why?] Democrat was a genuine extremist, not just favoring overturning elections - which turned out not to sell well in swing states - but self-identified as a Christian nationalist. How would a leader coming in with a focus on Christian nationalism ameliorate layoffs, heating oil shortages, influenza, or kids doing poorly in school? I would fear that, lacking the willingness or power to affect such real-world difficulties, he would seek to distract from them by persecuting non-Christian or presumptively liberal scapegoat groups.

Consider your rhetoric. "These people, destroying themselves or this country is what they want to do." No doubt you'd say it's terrible when some of them demonize your group, but when you demonize them, it's just appropriate because they really are evil, those crazy peacocking expletives?

And please don't sneer at the desire to defend democracy. Many independents like me would be happy to vote for some Republicans but not if we think it's the last meaningful vote we'll get to cast. Specifically: if Trump's on the ballot in 2024 and our state votes against him, we don't want our electoral votes just taken by the state's rulers and handed to him anyway, as Mastriano evidently would support. Showing contempt for that position implies that opposition to Trump is illegitimate per se.

-Translucent Jejune Octopus