This 18-year-old conservative thinks Paul Ryan and others are sell-outs for supporting Trump

Source: Brad Konopa, Gallery K Photography

Benji Backer

I've spent thousands of hours calling and knocking on doors on behalf of conservative candidates. I've written dozens of articles for some of the biggest news sites in conservative media. I've spoken at the largest conservative political conferences in the nation. Fighting a heavy push from my conservative peers, I have found myself speaking out against the presidential candidate who "represents" the movement I've fought so hard for.

As an 18-year-old conservative who has put in countless time and effort for conservatism, it pains me to watch the movement fall to Donald Trump. As a "Never Trump" conservative, I believe a victory for Mr. Trump in November would be incredibly detrimental to America and the end of conservatism as we know it. In fact, I'd go as far to say that Hillary Clinton is a safer option than Donald Trump, even if I won't cast my vote for her.

Why?

Well, a president is supposed to be presidential. Personally, I do not want our president (or any politician for that matter) calling women "dogs" and "slobs," insulting our veterans, calling their political opponents "p**sies," disrespecting our former First Ladies, and attacking absolutely anyone who disagrees with him. That is exactly what Donald Trump has done. If Donald Trump can't be mature with women, veterans, dignitaries, and political opponents from his own country, I can't imagine how he'd treat international dignitaries. He's already ignorantly calling for a ban on Muslim immigrants, disrespecting Mexicans, and insulting foreign leaders. With a Trump presidency, we would lose countless allies and generate many unneeded (and potentially dangerous) international conflicts.

Most importantly, a President Donald Trump would mark the end of the Republican Party. He's the current face of the party and if elected, Republicans would have absolutely no shot at retaining the House and Senate in 2018/2020. Additionally, Republican governors would be ousted and Democrats would have an easy path to the presidency for years to come. To make matters worse, the party would be even more divided than it is today. Minorities, women, and young people have already turned away from the current Republican nominee more than any other candidate in history. For a party that struggles to gain support from these groups (and rightfully so), a Trump victory would slaughter any chance at future outreach with minorities and youth.

Sadly, the majority of conservatives have been conned into voting for Donald Trump (who, if you listen to what he's said in the past, isn't really a conservative anyway). They are told to vote for the lesser of two evils, ignore third-party options, and focus on Fox News for positive coverage of Mr. Trump. In my opinion, politicians like Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, and many others have given up their morals by supporting Trump. A true conservative, who cared about the Republican Party and the future of America, would demand better. They wouldn't compromise their morals to put "party first." America deserves better than a candidate who constantly insults others, listens to no one, flip-flops on every issue, and has no definite plans.

America was built upon strong teamwork, shared ideals, compromise, and progressing through tough times. Mr. Trump represents the opposite of those beliefs. Young political activists have a boundless reach and a true opportunity to change the hearts and minds of Americans. I hope to be a voice in speaking out against his dangerous ideals before November's election.

If a true charismatic conservative like Evan McMullin is on the Wisconsin ballot come Nov. 8, I will vote for him/her. If not, I will be leaving the option for president blank. America cannot survive Donald Trump—and we shouldn't have to.

Commentary by Benji Backer, an 18-year-old conservative activist from Appleton, Wisconsin. He attends the University of Washington-Seattle and writes for RedState.com.Follow him on Twitter @BenjiBacker.

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