Our imperfect system of democracy is providing the opportunity for a minority of voters — loyal to Trump — to control the outcome of elections and the direction of our country. This minority has hijacked the Republican Party and, due to a plurality of candidates, holds the power to put Trump back in the White House. They have caused the Republican Party to normalize an illegal attempt to change the outcome of an election, giving us no reason to believe they will not try it again.
Our democracy and our rule of law are in jeopardy. The only way to counter this threat is to temporarily unify the majority and defeat this radicalized minority at the polls.
Easier said than done.
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Trump’s opposition comes from all walks of life and is diverse in ideological beliefs and candidate preferences. Although we are passionate that Trump should never hold office again, our diversity of thought causes us to support many candidates. It hinders our ability to come together for the common goal of defeating him. It is time for us to recognize that if we are unwilling to temporarily look beyond our subject matter viewpoints, positions, and causes and work together, we could lose our democracy and cause our individual advocacies to be put on the back burner indefinitely. These causes would become secondary to fighting authoritarianism.
At critical times in our history when our democracy has been threatened, Americans have shown that we will put aside our differences and unite to defeat threats, foreign and domestic. It is time to be pragmatic and organize as a dedicated, resilient majority.
Waiting until the general election to organize to defeat Trump is a risky proposition. Fourteen months out, his chances of winning are just as great as losing, and potential variables could make his path even easier, including the likelihood of a third-party spoiler. Although many political analysts are ready to call the primary for Trump, much could change between now and January. We must not pass up the opportunity for an unconventional approach. If we, the majority, are truly committed to stopping Trump, Independents and Democrats must consider temporarily crossing over in the Republican primary and coordinating our vote to defeat him.
Could a crossover vote in the primary be successful? We’ve performed the analysis state by state and developed a tactical plan. We have no doubt it can be successful; we also do not doubt that Trump may waltz back into the White House if we don’t try.
It is time to be pragmatic and organize as a dedicated, resilient majority.
Many who consider crossing over question who they will be asked to vote for in the Republican primary. We cannot know until early January, but we can promise to rally behind a moderate Republican candidate who has not propagated election lies or excused Trump’s illegal behavior. Some will be comfortable voting for a moderate Republican; others will be reluctant. The goal is to defeat Trump in the primary, not to benefit any other candidate, but if Trump is to lose in the primary, someone else must win.
This is a very personal decision that requires careful thought and consideration. When deciding, I imagined that on Nov. 8, 2024, the election would be two days prior. A notification on my phone informs me that the presidential election has just been called for Trump. MAGA is ecstatic. As I listen to Trump’s acceptance speech, packed with plans for revenge, vindication, and extremism, I close my eyes in regret, wishing I had done more.
I decided I couldn’t let this happen. I will be crossing over.
Justin Engle is a business owner, Independent, and former local politician from Hershey, Pennsylvania. Concerned that Trump could win back the White House, he rallied his friends and family and started a super PAC to organize a crossover vote to defeat him (www.NotTrump.Vote). #TheGreatCrossover
Wow! This actually makes sense!
Hahaha. For months many people have been talking about this – btw each election in PA usually 6% of both Republicans and Democrats cross over to try and influence the primaries – so maybe it gets closer to 8-10% this cycle. But give credit to the Democrats as they are more organized, which is why Shapiro poured money into the Republican primaries to make sure he had an opponent, Doug Mastriano, which the media portrayed as a clown. The real issue currently is now Democrats have corrupted the mail-in ballots.
Did you know that a local Democrat official in Connecticut’s largest city invoked her 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination this October 2023, rather than answer questions in court about allegations of illegal ballot box stuffing during a recent mayoral primary?
Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chair of the Bridgeport Town Committee, exercised her right to remain silent multiple times during a court hearing in a lawsuit challenging the results of the Sept. 12 primary, in which incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim defeated fellow Democrat John Gomes. Among the questions she wouldn’t answer: Whether she was the woman seen on surveillance footage making multiple trips in the predawn darkness to an election drop box outside a government building, and stuffing papers inside that looked like ballots.