Nebraska conservative senator won't back Trump in general

The Washington Examiner ^ | February 28, 2016 | Dan Friedman

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, said Sunday that he is unlikely to support real estate developer Donald Trump in a general election.

"If Trump becomes the Republican nominee my expectation is that I'll look for some 3rd candidate - a conservative option, a Constitutionalist," Sasse tweeted Sunday night.

Sasse, a conservative former university president, has previously been sharply critical of Trump's views, arguing the former reality television star does not embrace the conservative principles of limited government and liberty.

Sasse becomes the most prominent congressional Republican to announce plans to deny Trump his support.

"Christians - recognizing threats vs religious liberty - are unwilling to support candidate who doesn't offer full-throated defense" of the First Amendment, Sasse added.

"A presidential candidate who boasts of what he'll do during his 'reign' & refuses to condemn the KKK cannot lead the conservative movement," Sasse said.

During a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Trump declined to denounce the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.

Sasse spoke up hours after Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., became the first senator to endorse Trump.

[DoughtyOne]

Don’t they sell that in the market?

Sasse cheese and crackers.

This is like one of Session’s shoe laces endorsing Cruz.

[tflabo]

So does Sasse think Ted Cruz will go 3rd party? Who else fits the bill for a 3rd party constitutionalism candidate?
crickets...

[Mollypitcher1]

Sasse can go take a long walk off a short pier. The ONLY REAL CONSERVATIVE in Washington has endorsed TRUMP! Sessions is the ONLY Senator to be trusted!

[ObamahatesPACoal]

He’s a big Paul Ryan guy. Trump is way better than Ryan on everything except spelling mistakes.

His biggest local donor is a big amnesty shill.

He’s a Club 4 Growth, Freedom Works type who frets the small stuff not the big stuff.

His college sued a Nebraska town & Kris Kobach (R-KS) for trying to ban illegals from renting.

He looks like a Jeff Flake clone. Not a normal looking dude like Trump or Jeff Sessions or Collins or Duncan Hunter.

He’s never had a tough immigraton vote. It’s all been about the constitutionality of Obama’s executive amnesty.

He refused to sign a FAIR immigration pledge because it limited lawful immigration.

He’s a Bush admin guy.

Freedom Works flip flopped an endorsement because he supported the Individual Mandate in a speech.

He thinks Rubio is better than Trump.

[tflabo]

So if Trump wins the votes and the delegates from the people these RINO elitists will try and deny him what has been earned? We will sink the GOPee for good if they try that devious tactic.

[vette6387]

Screw this guy! He’s no better than the lilberals who claim they’re leaving the country if Trump is elected. Primary his a$$! And don’t go telling me just what a “good God-fearing guy he is!” He doesn’t believe that THE PEOPLE have the right to decide who our president is going to be. But I will lay you odds, this jerk would line up and vote for Obama’s choice for the SCOTUS “because it’s the right thing to do.”

[eyedigress]

Well Senator Sasse might want to cite some examples of his Stalwart Conservatism in congress.

[lee martell]

Have it your way Ben. You’ll be sorry!

[who_would_fardels_bear]

There is a Constitution Party and an American Independent Party.

At one Time Keyes was their candidate.

I believe they will be choosing their candidate some time this summer.

There is currently a debate about whether Trump should be one of the choices because he claims to be very anti-illegal-immigrant and pro-American-industry.

[montag813]

Sassy is weak on Islam

[Catsrus]

I know you think this is a put down, but, Sasse is NOT a conservative. He’s a sell out. Got to the Senate and voted right down the line with the RINOs. So, who cares who he does or doesn’t vote for? Not me!

[bigbob]

He won primarily by running against Obamacare, and his opponent was Omaha lawyer Dave Domina, a perpetual Democrat candidate whose main claim to fame was fighting the Keystone Pipeline. So it’s not like Sasse had a really tough fight. But even in deep red Nebraska, he’s considered to be a kook by most.

[LongWayHome]

Another open borders guy....smug Adam Smith bow-tie type who thinks he knows better than the great unwashed. Guys like this have killed the GOP.

[JoSixChip]

He thinks Rubio is better than Trump.

So does cruz.

[kiryandil]

Tick Tock.

Wednesday morning is coming, CW. :)

[nathanbedford]

Sen. Sasse certainly is not my beau ideal of a conservative senator but I will not attack him for stating the obvious nor will I attack him for failing to support Trump who in many respects is unworthy of support. I simply take another path.

My moral compass is telling me that my time on Free Republic during which I will feel morally free to expose Donald Trump is rapidly drawing to a self-imposed end. That is because I believe he will have the nomination well within his grasp after Tuesday and my sense of party loyalty, my patriotism tell me that discord and disharmony are counterproductive to a crusade to try to save the country.

I fully believe that Donald Trump possesses more negatives than positives and I certainly believe that Ted Cruz is the better man and the better conservative but I think I will be told on Tuesday that all I am in a minority and the world is about to pass me by. This is not an easy decision to make when one considers the flagrant character deficiencies of Donald Trump and when one understands the risks one is taking in placing our destiny in his hands. Such a risk can be accepted only because the alternatives in the Democrat party are infinitely worse.

I accept the idea of majority rule and I will therefore accept Donald Trump as the nominee of the Republican Party and I will support him everywhere wherever I can so long as it does not conflict with self-respect.

However, it ain't Tuesday yet.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

[excerpt] via Redstate

http://www.redstate.com/leon_h_wolf/2016/02/28/breaking-ben-sasse-becomes-first-elected-republican-declare-hell-never-vote-trump/

To my friends supporting Donald Trump:

The Trump coalition is broad and complicated, but I believe many Trump fans are well-meaning. I have spoken at length with many of you, both inside and outside Nebraska. You are rightly worried about our national direction. You ache about a crony-capitalist leadership class that is not urgent about tackling our crises. You are right to be angry.

I’m as frustrated and saddened as you are about what’s happening to our country. But I cannot support Donald Trump.

Please understand: I’m not an establishment Republican, and I will never support Hillary Clinton. I’m a movement conservative who was elected over the objections of the GOP establishment. My current answer for who I would support in a hypothetical matchup between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton is: Neither of them. I sincerely hope we select one of the other GOP candidates, but if Donald Trump ends up as the GOP nominee, conservatives will need to find a third option.

Mr. Trump’s relentless focus is on dividing Americans, and on tearing down rather than building back up this glorious nation. Much like President Obama, he displays essentially no understanding of the fact that, in the American system, we have a constitutional system of checks and balances, with three separate but co-equal branches of government. And the task of public officials is to be public “servants.” The law is king, and the people are boss. But have you noticed how Mr. Trump uses the word “Reign” – like he thinks he’s running for King? It’s creepy, actually. Nebraskans are not looking for a king. We yearn instead for the recovery of a Constitutional Republic.

Continues:

https://www.facebook.com/sassefornebraska/posts/561073597391141

[tumblindice]

If he’s going to parrot Limbaugh, I believe the Rotund One said that “Marco Rubio (is) a full-throated conservative”.
Which actually sounds like something sketchy in a foamy hot tub.