[Redleg Duke]

Don't forget the millions of "Principled Conservatives" who didn't vote "to send a message", or voted third party, also "to send a message".

Misery loves miserable company.

[Strategerist]

Don't forget the millions of "Principled Conservatives" who didn't vote "to send a message", or voted third party, also "to send a message".

There assuredly were not "millions" of either, though Gary Johnson got over a million votes - most of those are likely just hardcore Libertarians that always vote libertarian. Goode only got a little over 100,000 votes.

It's impossible to quantify those who didn't vote, but based on comparisons to 2008 and 2004, there's little evidence that any conservatives who usually vote did not vote.

[Finny]

Like my mom, you mean? An 83-year-old lifelong active Republican who, for the first time in her life, declined to vote Republican at the top of the ticket (though she voted Republican downticket)? You really think she didn't agonize over that decision? Do you really think she did it to "send a message"? Or like me, who after more than 35 years of voting straight Republican in every single election, for the first time voted third party at the top of the ticket? You are so shallow that you think this was about "sending a message"?

You've got a lot to learn about lines in the sand, principle, conservatism, the value of being a Republican, and the difference between compromise and capitulation.

[Cannon6]

You said it better than I could.