State GOP officials launched their public ‘Stop Trump’ effort in earnest today, even as Donald Trump drew an enthusiastic crowd at a rally in Columbus.
State Auditor David Yost was the first to announce he won’t support Donald Trump if he’s the Republican presidential nominee – and says he’ll campaign for a Libertarian or Constitutional party member if that happens. Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo is joining his anti-Trump campaign. As a veteran, an African American and a person living with Parkinson’s Disease, Mingo says he’s been insulted by Trump on all fronts.
“This is a man who doesn’t seem to have the ability to blush, apologize or otherwise conduct himself in a way that even remotely reflects a standard that we as Americans would be proud of for our president.”
Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges says he expects others will join them, and that the Ohio primary on March 15 will be key to derailing Trump. But ultimately, he says, he’d support any Republican over Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
Auditor Yost says he would not support Trump in any way.
“I’m not going to vote for the man, not in the primary, not in the general. And for those who say that’s going to throw the election to Hillary, I would say the nomination of Donald Trump already throws the election to Hillary.”
Ohio GOP Chairman Matt Borges said he supports that stand though it makes his job harder.
“We’ve got principled conservative leaders -- whose networks we would otherwise certainly call upon and utilize who for their own very valid reasons -- won’t be able to bring themselves to be part of this effort.”
Borges said he expects more to join Yost and the others.
