First Republican Member of Congress Crosses Party Line to Announce He’s Voting for Hillary Clinton

Cites Trump’s Attacks on Muslim American Family of Fallen US Soldier as Last Straw

Representative Richard Hanna, a Republican from upstate New York, has just announced he’s crossing party lines and will be voting for Hillary Clinton for president. The three-term U.S. Congressman says he’s been considering it for months, but Donald Trump‘s attacks on the Muslim American Gold Star parents of a fallen U.S. soldier were the last straw. 

“While I disagree with her on many issues, I will vote for Mrs. Clinton,” Hanna writes in an op-ed for Syracuse.com. “I will be hopeful and resolute in my belief that being a good American who loves his country is far more important than parties or winning and losing. I trust she can lead. All Republicans may not like the direction, but they can live to win or lose another day with a real candidate. Our response to the public’s anger and the need to rebuild requires complex solutions, experience, knowledge and balance. Not bumper sticker slogans that pander to our disappointment, fear and hate.”

Calling the GOP nominee “profoundly offensive and narcissistic,” “a world-class panderer,” and “anything but a leader,” Rep. Hanna also says Trump is “unfit to serve our party and cannot lead this country.”

Hanna goes on to lament the primary process which “is so geared toward the party’s political base,” and “ignores the fact that we have largely alienated women, Hispanics, the LGBT community, young voters and many others in general.”

Hanna earlier this year announced he will retire at the end of his term.

 

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