NC GOP voters voice concern over re-election of former President Trump

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina is known for having close presidential elections. Both Republicans and Democrats have their obstacles but one group is directing their focus on the former president.

“The Bible very clearly instructs us to love other people, and when you love them, you don’t talk down to them. You don’t demean them. There is no way that I, with a good conscience, can vote for Donald Trump,” North Carolina voter Llewellyn said in one of a number of ant-Donald Trump videos.

Republican Voters Against Trump are distributing testimonial video like Llewellyn’s. They feature voters in North Carolina and across the country. People in those videos voted for the former president in the past, but say they won’t do that again.

“I do think that Donald Trump was responsible for instigating January 6th. He invited people to come to it. He lied to the American public,” said Rhonda, another voter.

“It comes down to Jan. 6th, the election denialism, the horrific attack on our capital on Jan. 6 is just too much for them to bare,” said the group’s political director Gunner Ramer.

Ramer said many of the people who are making public statements are thinking about the future, not just the past.

“Who are bothered by this idea of Donald Trump talking about retribution, of talking about being a dictator on day one, of putting a Truth Social post out there of terminating the Constitution. For these traditional Reagan Republican voters this is just a bridge too far,” he said.

Trump remains incredibly popular among his base, and for many moderate Republicans, a better option than President Joe Biden. With so many registered Unaffiliated voters, the largest voting block in the state, and registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans- there’s very little room for error.

“The margins are slim here in North Carolina and in some of the other battleground states. So, a significantly active anti-Trump effort from people who are seen to be Republicans in good standing could have an impact,” said Mitch Kokai with the conservative John Locke Foundation.

“They don’t like the forces he has unleashed on the party. These are the swing voters, and yes, they may also have an unfavorable opinion of Joe Biden. But at the end of the day, when they are facing the choice of Trump versus Biden, more often than not, they are going for Joe Biden. Or at the very least, they are not going for Donald Trump,” said Ramer.

Ramer’s observation is reflected in Dale’s testimony, “I don’t think America can take four more years of the Trump administration and the dysfunction that takes place under his leadership.”

Kokai said many do historically come home in the end and vote with the party. However, there’s a long way to go between now and November.

“My guess is this time around, it’s going to be much more the case that people will hold their nose and vote for Donald Trump if they’re Republicans and then there will be a smaller number than in 2020 and certainly a smaller number than in 2016. And we’ll say, no, we just can’t accept him, we’re going to vote for Joe Biden or we’ll vote for a third party candidate,” said Kokai.

The NC Republican Party has not responded to CBS 17’s request for comment.